From Ioannina, where at noon he met with the Board of Directors of the Regional Union of Epirus Municipalities, the president of PASOK-Movement for Change, Nikos Androulakis, sharply commented on Turkey’s stance on the Cyprus issue and the provocative rhetoric of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“In the past few days I was in Cyprus for the black anniversary of the fiftieth anniversary of “Attila”, who left behind thousands of dead, missing and thousands of Greek Cypriots who were removed from their ancestral homes.

I was in Cyprus to express my solidarity with the President, Nikos Christodoulidis, for the need to restart talks to find a sustainable solution based on the resolutions of the United Nations.

To express our support to the families of the victims… But, unfortunately, let’s be honest. The statements of Erdogan as well as other Turkish politicians show the margin and the horizon to find a sustainable solution”, emphasized Mr. Androulakis and added: “When the President of Turkey calls “Attila” a “peaceful operation”, which left behind thousands dead and a huge disaster, we understand that the hopes are few”.

As the president of PASOK-KINAL emphasized, “Turkey remains unrepentant. A revisionist force that insults and undermines international law” while assigning enormous responsibility to the European Union and other powerful powers, which allow this behavior.

“We want a sustainable solution, but if Turkey continues any such effort with the aim of dividing the island, then there is no other way but economic sanctions and of course an arms embargo. States of the European Union, which are in NATO, as well as other world powers, cannot have large armament programs with a country that undermines the stability of the wider region”, repeated Nikos Androulakis.

When asked about the increases in electricity, the president of PASOK-Change Movement said:

“We have very high costs and new subsidies. But, the subsidies are “we take them from one pocket of the people and put them in the other”, with too much, in my humble opinion, flexibility of the government in relation to the strong financial interests of the big producers. So when your energy policy is one that makes the rich richer and leaves the country vulnerable to energy crises, then you are not working in the public interest and the need for cheap production costs. We highlighted these issues – also from my experience in the European Parliament – and we will continue to serve. That is why we are asking the Greek people for their support in the effort we are making, and which I am making personally. The big crises of the time are: the housing problem, the energy crisis and the issues of the welfare state.

The National Health System is collapsing, despite the Pharaonic Recovery Fund created due to the pandemic. Much less was used than it should have been for the regeneration of the National Health System.

So, we are re-entering the race with vigor. I am trying to get the word of the Democratic Party, of progress, consistency, responsibility and not maintenance and populism heard in every region of the country. Because populism and conservation, wherever they come from, I don’t think they serve the future of our country.”