“The central issue is which party can defeat New Democracy and put an end to the policies implemented today, which unfortunately have created very large and new social issues”, pointed out the president of PASOK – KINAL, Nikos Androulakis, speaking to ErtNews. when asked what it means to him that he is now leader of the official opposition.

He also mentioned:

“Our responsibilities are greater, but the path we will continue on is the same. Credibility programmatic reason, progressive, political reason moral and consistency. I think these were the characteristics that brought us to a stronger position than the one we had (…) We must continue and I think the Greek people will credit us with this in the next national elections».

While he added:

“We are a programmatic adversary without government errors. Personally, I have never ruled a single minute in my life. The New Democracy had a very nice mechanism built to be compared with the not worse ones. Now it will be compared to hope for the best. And this makes it difficult for her (…)».

Asked whether it is “another PASOK, the current one, which he leads, from PASOK, which he was the leader of in recent yearsnew”, he posted saying:

“In most opinion polls it is below 10 points (including the difference between ND and PASOK). Of course, this requires a lot of work. We are not complacent, neither I nor the executives of PASOK.

What worries me is that we are constantly working to show that we have a government perspective, not for power, but because we can solve problems. And that means documented programmatic reason.

That’s why you see that every time we try, when we say no, to show another way and not to have a sterile opposition, which in fact does not seem to have a range of proposals and solutions for our country”.

Regarding the name “green SYRIZA” given to PASOK-KINAL by New Democracy, he noted:

“New Democracy is in a tizzy. From what the press representative of New Democracy has said today, what Mrs. Kerameos has said, I understand that they were used to something else – they had learned well. But now things have changed.

Against them they have a party that has a specific and documented program and they will be compared with that and not with “close your eyes to what we have done because SYRIZA will come”. There is no longer any fear with PASOK. There will be a safe, serious government choice in the next national elections”.

“We are a programmatic opponent of ND”

Nikos Androulakis added, among other things:

“We are a programmatic opponent with no governmental errors. Personally, I have never ruled a single minute in my life. The New Democracy had a very nice mechanism built to be compared with the not worse ones. Now it will be compared to hope for the best. And this makes it difficult for her (…)”.

For his proposal to reduce the VAT, he underlined:

“I say tomorrow morning a reduction in VAT on basic goods. So what is our proposal? The reduction of VAT on basic goods to go specifically to costing. In Spain it cost 2.2 billion… Oh, it can’t cost Greece 2 billion. as the ND and the prime minister say. He and New Democracy officials had told the Parliament that it costs 2 billion (…)

“They don’t say how much revenue has increased due to accuracy, through indirect taxes, VAT and excise duty”
Regarding the economic policy pursued by the government, he pointed out:

“We will take many initiatives tomorrow. We have another initiative, PASOK will constantly in Parliament take initiatives showing a path of social justice.

These initiatives will be taken exclusively by PASOK or they may be initiatives in which PASOK will expand with the participation of others. And other times our initiatives were supported by other parties and this makes us happy because it also shows the scope of the initiatives. But here is a core of the problem: New Democracy says it has a good economic policy and that we are doing well. Yes, they show nominal GDP and don’t say how much inflation helps.

To put it more simply, they show revenue and do not say how much revenue has increased due to accuracy through indirect taxes, VAT and excise duty. They say they are raising wages but they don’t because of inflation.

It’s not just what you get in your hand, it’s what you can buy with what you have in your hand. Unfortunately, our people are having a hard time because the market is without rules. With the new regulation, too many factors of the economy have profited.

That is why they have become so much richer and we must finally track them down and force them to put their hand in their pocket.

We want a healthy entrepreneurship supported by liquidity, a stable tax system, and a stable insurance system. Rules, common justice.

But four oligopolies can’t create such inequalities and we, because the new Republic wants to get along with them, stay with their hands crossed.”

Regarding his appointment with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, which is set for December 4, and how he decided to make it happen, he emphasized:

“(…) There is nothing that prevents me from having this meeting (…) I think it should have been done, because since Mr. Mitsotakis asks me to, I have no reason to refuse it and I will go with a specific agenda for the issues we prioritize.

In other words, housing issues as well. I think we’re headed for the rocks. Yes, rents are sky high. There are no houses, there is no offer on the market, while there is a very high demand.

I will go again with the agenda to freeze one of the many, the Golden Visa. In many municipalities of Greece rents have increased too much.

What was done this year with this law cannot be voted on at the beginning of the year, be implemented in September and 5,500 properties have been sold. But don’t these people understand that these houses are being deprived of young families? How will we solve the demographic?

We are talking about a topic that is a huge national issue and it is and should give a perspective to young couples. And we are removing 5,500 golden Visa properties from the market. In other words, here we must take brave initiatives for housing, for social housing, for incentives to open houses, but not three years in the depth of 5 and 10 years, with -if they want- zero tax, with reconstruction, with lower rent, with ceiling. We need to take initiatives beyond housing.”

The tragedy in Tempe

Regarding the tragedy with the accident in Tempe, he said:

“(…) This is the heaviest of all. Having the tragedy of Tempe, 50 of our fellow human beings having lost their lives, being a crime and learning last year that some people took the audios, falsified them and gave them to friendly media. The other day we learn that footage from the cameras has been lost. But are these things in a European state – that they think we live in? For me these are top issues that show why people have lost their trust in institutions (…)

We must change the way of selecting the leadership of the Judiciary. It cannot be chosen by a party. We must find a way with wider consensus to choose the leadership of the Judiciary. There must be an end to what has happened so far. I want my country and my people to feel and live in a normal European state of law and not to have violations of human rights, parastatal functions and such tragedies that even today, after a very long time, we learn these unacceptable things” .

While he also said, among other things:

“We must take institutional initiatives to strengthen the separation of powers. I say this clearly and I told you a proposal regarding the constitutional revision (…) I have to trust the Justice. But I have to criticize things which, unfortunately, it seems, he didn’t want to investigate.”

For Merkel’s book

“Mrs. Merkel does not need to tell us what power game was played on the backs of the Greek people»
Asked to comment on the writings of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in her book, about former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, he noted:

“I think the Greek people are not waiting for Mrs. Merkel. He has experiences and what Mr. Samaras with the Zappeas and with Mr. Mitsotakis (…) And for what Mr. Tsipras said and what he did afterwards, he would tear up the memos and he brought memos as well. The Greek people know best what power game was played on the backs of the Greek people because they have experienced it. Mrs. Merkel doesn’t need to tell us.”