Many of the current political issues covered by the interview of Minister of State Makis Voridis on “Action24”, however, started with whether arrogance has taken root in the ruling faction. “There is not the slightest bit of arrogance, the doors of the ministers are open”, clarified the Minister of State in his introduction, while pointing out that “the parliamentarians and the people of the New Democracy are everywhere, they listen to the people, their complaints, their criticism. Not only is there no arrogance, but there is an interactivity and you see it in the prime minister.”

On the other hand, on the occasion of the discussion about the American elections, “the government in Greece does not have the excesses that we see in the United States of America. Nor do we set extreme versions of the woke agenda.” On the contrary, he added, “the government has repeatedly declared its respect for the role of the Church, it has supported and supports the Church in many things. It has helped promote a number of issues that highlight cultural identity and heritage. In matters of culture, historicity is primarily highlighted and not in a revisionist way”, he explained.

While he wondered, “do you know any European Union state that has a stricter immigration policy than Greece?” We are doing our best to control the migratory flows, I am not saying that they are zero”, he said and even referred to his visit to Chios, on Monday, where he saw “our ships that fight every day to stop the migratory flows”, he congratulated, in fact, their crews. He clarified, however, that the return of immigrants to their countries of origin does not depend only on the Greek side. “The whole European Union must come together to achieve such agreements,” he demanded.

But, according to M. Voridis, “it is impossible for both to happen: for Europe to accuse us of being too harsh in our immigration policy and for some in Greece to say that we have opened the borders and anyone can enter. “Who built the fence?”, he wondered on the other hand.

In his opinion, “Right or Center” must leave its semiotics and go to the content. This has a meaning, declaratively, when you are in opposition. When you are in the government, what makes sense is to see the specific policies”, he explained. Besides, he added, “in our immigration policy, what more would anyone have to suggest?” I say we have the strictest, fairest immigration policy. In matters of national sovereignty, what more can one propose than the strengthening of defense armor?”

With regard to foreign policy, he observed first of all that “after the previous period there was an attempt by Turkey to put pressure on us and all of this fell into a vacuum, it came to dialogue, which was a position we had from the first moment”. Secondly, “the Greek-Turkish dialogue has been developing for 1.5 years. What has happened to the country? The good thing that it has… is that it no longer has aerial violations, there is a much better understanding than in the past, on the issue of migration flows, we have opened up visas and we have a foreign exchange – economic benefit on the islands”. In addition, “Turkey says various things, but what it has always said. He doesn’t say it now.” While regarding the last position of former Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, he said that “he focused the problem on the positions of the Turkish side, not on the positions of the Greek side”.

On the substance of the Greek-Turkish dialogue, “we have made it clear that there is not the slightest movement. There is no way we can do anything different from what has been done all these years, from the fixed positions of the Greek foreign policy of all governments. After this development of the Greek-Turkish dialogue, there is not the slightest concession on any issue concerning the Greek positions. From the policy being followed, we only get benefits and it is obviously clear that in the future we will not have any movement”, he assured in conclusion.

Regarding the domestic political scene, he acknowledged that “in recent years there has been an increase in the percentage of voters who vote for these parties” (s.s. more to the right of ND). But, he continued, “it is very important that we start watching the positions of these parties, to see what they are saying. Is it something that can enrich political life?’

According to the approach of the Minister of State, “when we go to what to do, you will see that these parties present zero proposals. I listen carefully to what the citizens say, with their vote and with the contact we have, but we need to enter into a dialogue to explain that this government on this agenda, on these issues, has the most patriotic, the most national sensitivities that exist today in any other government in the European Union”.

The interview ended with a reference to the Mitsotakis-Trump phone call: “It was a good, fruitful and productive discussion on a number of issues, which showed that the new US President has a good knowledge of the successes of the Greek economy.”

While for the election result in the USA, this was expected for M. Boride. “The Greek government is obliged to respect the decisions of the American people and to make sure that relations with the US will remain strategic and strong,” he underlined. Asked, finally, about his own preferences, he gave the following answer: “I’m with everything that’s right, I just don’t vote in the USA. I always vote right, so you have no questions about what I am and am not.”