The Political Secretariat took stock of the course of SYRIZA-PS after the election of a new leader, noting that “the new course of SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance has already begun”.

The text of the decision of the Political Secretariat is as follows:

In the three weeks that have intervened since the election of the new president, the Central Committee of the party, as well as the Parliamentary Group, have met, with collective decisions and initiatives for the reconstruction and strengthening of the party and submission of proposals on the critical issues of the country.

The first visit of Socrates Famellos abroad, after assuming his duties as president, took place in Cyprus. In the meetings he had, SYRIZA-PS support was declared for the restart of the talks for a fair and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem, from the point where they were interrupted in Crans Montana and on the basis of the Guterres framework.

Also, there was a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who informed him about international and regional developments as well as Greek-Turkish relations. In the field of foreign policy, the looming change of course of the government regarding the Greek-Turkish dialogue and the recourse to The Hague, creates justified concerns and highlights the gap in strategy. It seems that Mr. Mitsotakis pays for the micropolitical exploitation of foreign policy issues during the period of the Prespa agreement, but also for the political collusion with Mr. Samara.

SYRIZA-PS firmly insists on the need for dialogue with Turkey, with clear “red lines”, on the basis of international law. A dialogue that defends peace in the region, as well as the interests of our country. But also in the necessity of returning to an energetic, multidimensional, peace-loving foreign policy, such as that practiced by the SYRIZA government.

At the same time, during this period, the debate on the budget was held, where SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance highlighted the impasses of government policy, the real state of the Greek economy, the unbearable costs that the policies of the Mitsotakis government have for the large social majority, as well as the necessity of implementing a program of alternative progressive governance.

The powerful SYRIZA-PS will provide answers to social needs, as the real official opposition, inside and outside the Parliament. Not an opposition convenient to the government, nor an opposition of denial and ideological entrenchment, but a militant and programmatic opposition, which submits concrete and socially fair proposals, and defends the interests of the Greek people, with the aim of progressive change in society and the country .

The government of ND allegedly reduces taxes, while in reality it burdens 2.5 billion. euro more taxes to society, of which 1.5 billion additional VAT and 1 billion additional income tax. He hypocritically announces measures against speculation, while leaving untouched the surplus profits of banks, energy companies, and those who daily speculate on the backs of citizens.

The reality that citizens experience every day cannot be hidden behind communication tricks and hypocritical celebrations. A shocking example is the government’s announcements to reduce bank commissions, which only account for 7.5% of the banks’ revenue from commissions. At the same time, the government imposes a tax of only 100 million euros on the banks, i.e. just 0.9% of their profits in the last three years, while leaving the predatory interest rates on loans untouched.

SYRIZA-PS has tabled a comprehensive proposal to deal with spot-fixing and speculation, which includes, among other things, reducing VAT and taxing the surplus profits of energy companies and refineries. Especially for the banking sector, he insists on utilizing and strengthening the presence of the public in the banking sector, using the National Bank as a tool to enable competition, in order to reduce the difference in interest rates and loans to the levels of the European systemic banks.

Eurostat’s report on labor costs in Europe effectively refutes the government’s so-called “national successes”. While in the rest of the Eurozone countries there was, in the third quarter of 2024, an increase in the nominal salary, with an average of 4.4%, Greece is the sad exception, since it is the only country in Europe in which the nominal salary decreased by 2 .9%.

SYRIZA-PS voted against the bill in the parliament and will continue to fight for the increase of the minimum wage, which ensures a decent living and the reinstatement of its determination by the EGSSE so that it is the result of a claim of the unions in the context of the negotiations between the social partners .

Redistribution in favor of Labor is our programmatic goal.

Our commitment is to ensure decent wages, to enshrine collective bargaining agreements, as well as to restore the basic principles of collective bargaining agreements, more favorable regulation and scalability, the substantial unfreezing of the three-year period, as well as the restoration of the constitutional rights of unilateral recourse to arbitration and the right to strike.

As far as the debate that has opened for the Presidency of the Republic is concerned, SYRIZA-PS has from the first moment moved institutionally, protecting the office itself and the persons. This is how it will move in the next period as well, through initiatives that will aim at the democratic composition, as well as at the agreement of the progressive forces for a person with progressive characteristics, who will serve the institution and not party expedients. SYRIZA-PS will decide, collectively, on time and institutionally, its attitude towards the presidential election.