Sta Grevena the President of PASOK-Movement for Change toured on Friday morning, Nikos Androulakis.

In his statements, Mr. Androulakis noted, among other things:

“First of all, I see widespread optimism about the election result. Our faction here from Western Macedonia is sending a message of victory. But victory for us is the well-being of the Greek people. And the first issue we are discussing in Western Macedonia and especially in Grevena is the great national issue of demographics.

We must create the infrastructure of a strong social state, public health and public education, which will be the pillar of reducing inequalities and perspective of all Greeks. And, of course, a sustainable, dynamic development that will create many and good jobs so that Greek children can stay here – and in Western Macedonia -, raise families, and have prosperity and prospects.

What I encounter, and we must be honest, is that young people are leaving their place. And here the problem is very big. And I say it again. The priority of the Democratic Party is to deal with the national demographic issue.

I want you to think that we brought the maternity benefit amendment three times for self-employed women. And yet, New Democracy denied us three times until they put it into practice a few weeks ago.

Therefore, we must discuss all the parties – and we are willing to do so – in order to have a strategic plan to deal with the demographic issue, especially in the Greek region”.

Asked about the developments in North Macedonia, Mr. Androulakis pointed out:

“The Greek government cannot be surprised. The name of the party coalition in the neighboring country with which candidates came was “Our own Macedonia”. So, the name of the VMRO coalition implies libertarianism.

The agreement has no mechanism for monitoring its implementation. As a result, today extreme nationalist circles in the neighboring country bypass the agreement, while the political actors of our country respect it.

So here we have to be completely honest. Mr. Tsipras did not make an agreement that would have the characteristics of implementation and monitoring mechanisms. And now the New Democracy is simply sleeping for months, while it could have raised the issue in advance when the coalition of these parties was formed under the name “our own Macedonia”.

My position is that the protocols cannot come now. It will be a vindication of neighboring libertarianism. They will come out and say: “here, with what we say, we led them to ratify the protocols”. So, what Mr. Kasselakis is proposing is a very big own goal.

It is not possible for us to have a behavior that respects international law and this agreement – all parties, even those that did not vote for it like PASOK – and the parties of the neighboring country, especially those in power, show absolute disrespect. This cannot continue.”

Finally, regarding the political goals ahead of the European elections, Mr. Androulakis emphasized:

“I am optimistic that PASOK will be the big winner of the European elections. We will have our largest rate increase. When the others fall, PASOK will have a dynamic increase in its percentages.

Victory for PASOK is the well-being of the Greek people. A strong PASOK on the evening of June 9 means, in the first phase, a strong, serious, reliable opposition and, in the second phase, in the next national elections, progressive governance for the country”.