Criticizing the government’s choices and submitting SYRIZA’s proposals “on the burning issues of housing and private debt”, he began his presentation at the press conference that he is giving this time in the context of the 88th TIF from Vellideo Conference Centero, the president of Mr. of SYRIZA Nikos Pappas.

“We address the citizens of Greece and say clearly that the country needs a big progressive change. So that we don’t watch millions of acres of forest burn every year and the fires stop either at sea or in the residential fabric. So that the images of the hundreds of thousands of tons of dead fish do not dominate the television screens as we saw a few days ago in Pagasitikos. So that critical infrastructures are not left to their fate and the country does not experience tragedies like the crime of Tempe. So that fundamental rules of the rule of law are not violated, so that ministers, heads of the Armed Forces, businessmen, political leaders and administration officials are not illegally monitored. So that ELSTAT does not announce for the next few years that births in our country are tens of thousands less than deaths. To keep the hospitals and the heroic staff who work there from collapsing. So that we are not the last country in the purchasing power of workers in Europe, so that we are not champions in the cost of energy, so that half the people of this country do not need half the income just to be housed. So that 95% of Greek businesses are not excluded from the NSRF and bank lending…”.

All of the above, argued Mr. Pappas, are the results of the choices and policies of Mr. Mitsotakis. “But it is not the inevitable fate of the Greek people,” he said.

“We call on other progressive forces to support our proposals,” said Mr. Pappas

I will not be a candidate for president of SYRIZA

Asked if he will be a candidate for president of SYRIZA, he replied: “There is no such talk, we have channeled all our energies to fulfill the tasks assigned to us and this does not only concern me but everyone. Well, there is no such conversation.”

“The economic crisis has left a trail of wind behind it and it is a loophole for households,” emphasized Mr. Pappas.

“SYRIZA is a party that claims governance”.

Asked if SYRIZA remains a governing party, he said that “SYRIZA is a party that claims governance, it claims to build the alliances that will form the competitive pole against New Democracy. The need to form such a pole becomes even more imperative in light of the rapid deterioration of the Mitsotakis government. Because we saw that after the European elections, we had our own developments, the deterioration of the N.D. it was something I didn’t expect to have such a scale.”

“The basis of our proposal on the burning issues we want to be the subject of discussion and convergence with other progressive parties. That’s where we have to put the weight, respecting our internal procedures and not forgetting for a second, first of all and to the maximum extent, that we mean and appear to the outside that we are dealing with the problems of society”, emphasized Mr. Pappas.

He added that in the light of these developments, our responsibilities and those of all the other progressive forces multiply. He said that “we have also described the initiatives that we will take at the level of society, at the parliamentary level and at the central political level and it is the ultimate responsibility of those forces who really mean that they want a progressive turn in the country”. On the occasion of the elections to the Chambers, he commented that it would be desirable to form progressive fronts that would win the majority.

Regarding the rise in energy prices, Mr. Pappas noted that “regardless of intentions, a huge distortion has been created in the Greek economy. Very large wealth is concentrated in very few companies in the energy sector.”

“PPC is a pioneer under the Mitsotakis government in the race to increase energy prices, here there must be one with a front of logic in the face of accuracy,” he said to another question.

He added that SYRIZA too early without trying to discover America to turn the wheel back formulated a series of proposals that had already rushed from 2022 and based on the announcement of the Commission at that time to be adopted by other countries, which as he said – “Policies that it was outside the box of usual European practices. And the profits must be taxed and a valuation of the profit must be introduced and we must dare to bring PPC back under public control so that the prices are pushed down and the golden boys’ salaries in the PPC management are not just thrown,” he stressed.

Kasselakis can participate in the electoral process.

Asked if Mr. Kasselakis is disqualified and if there is a question about his participation in the electoral process, Mr. Pappas replied that “There is no issue with the candidacy of Kasselakis for the leadership of the party. THE SYRIZA has a statute. And the statute does not provide for diversions or coups. It clearly provides that all powers and offices are both auditable and revocable.”

“I’m sure the cool voices will prevail. We will proceed to a democratic election. I will refer you to the decision of the PG and KE that brought concrete results. I am sure that we will all respect the statute, the procedures and proceed to a democratic election”, he added.

Regarding the eventual return of Alexis Tsipras, Mr. Pappas noted: “Alexis Tsipras is the historic leader of the party, the party during his days utilized its ideological and political arsenal to turn from a small party of the Left into a leading force. Let some people not invoke him and misinterpret him. It is a capital for the country and for the Left, it has international radiation which it can utilize and improve the country’s diplomatic displacement. From then on, we all have to stick to his public positions.”

SYRIZA lives in the wake of an unfavorable result

Regarding the turmoil in the official opposition party, he emphasized that “it is clear that SYRIZA is living, unfortunately, in the wake of an unfavorable result, in the spring of 2023. SYRIZA will democratically proceed with the process to elect its leadership.”

Regarding the election of the President of the Republic and to a question whether SYRIZA will support Mrs. Sakellaropoulou or Mrs. Angelopoulou, he answered: “I believe that recent political experience and our history show that it is good to have people with displacement and political experience in the highest state office. Our own faction has shown that it can go beyond. Why not nominate an executive from the Left and the progressive space? Is Mr. Mitsotakis in a position to overcome it?”.

Also, Mr. Pappas pointed out that there is no question of deleting Stefanos Kasselakis and added: “In SYRIZA there are no hoodlums, there are fighters of the democratic faction, we have our constitution and we are going with it.”

For the cooperation of the progressive forces, he answered through the example of France: “In France, the possibility of cooperation between the progressive forces seemed remote. But after the elections the parties that were related ended up working together. However, the parties are competitive formations and claim the vote of the citizens.”

Regarding the removal of Stefanos Kasselakis, he reiterated that “the SYRIZA statute does not have irrevocable and auditable powers. Nothing original happened, it’s something that was foreseen by our statute.”