Greek elections: SYRIZA leader Tsipras talks of turmoil in the right-wing

“Neo-Nazis should be in prison, but not for campaigning,” Alexis Tsipras said in an interview with Sky, noting that “the parliament with a simple addition to the amendment could block the descent into the elections of the Kasidiari party.” .

“Appointing judges to become judges of political life leads to adventures and haselevated Kasidiaris”, said the president of SYRIZA, while speaking of unrest in the right-wing apartment building, meaningfully saying that “strange pressures are being exerted on parties”.

“Turmoil in the Right wing”

In particular, Mr. Tsipras noted that there is a great anxiety in the right-wing , strange judicial pressures are also being exerted on the Velopoulos party, the party of Emfietzoglou and Ms. Latinopoulos is out. There is a mobility that I find not normal. There was an official complaint against Velopoulos for the defection plan of three MPs. All this is not normal,” said Mr. Tsipras and continued: “I say that Mr. Mitsotakis and the New Democracy party are under great pressure and want to eliminate everything that is to their right. They go to the elections with far-right rhetoric. They sense great competition on their right. This strategy is wrong, which is not good for democracy.”

He clarified about the Kasidiaris party that “I clearly said no, he should not be a candidate, nor should he have been allowed to campaign from prison”.

“I did not meet with Varoufakis”

When asked if he actually met with Mr. Varoufakis yesterday, Mr. Tsipras replied that these “are Trump’s methods: The fake news.”

As he said, “Apogeumatini writes it, some say it on the radio and Mr. Mitsotakis also mentioned it”

“I understand Mr. Mitsotakis. He lost Schäuble, he was left with the ghost of Varoufakis. Mitsotakis’ love for Mr. Varoufakis is one-sided,” said the president of SYRIZA, while he accused Mr. Varoufakis of being “obsessed, he talks about Dimitra plans in 2023.”

He added that “I don’t hold secret meetings with party leaders. When they happen, they will be in plain sight.”

He estimated that the simple proportional ballot box “will probably produce a government” and we should not go to the polls with a loose vote.

On collaborations

Regarding the collaborations and how a government can be formed from the first ballot, Mr. Tsipras estimated that the first and third parties will certainly be able to form a government.

“If SYRIZA is the first party, it will be able to, and New Democracy will be able to, but I don’t know if PASOK will finally accept it,” he said, adding that “I was not wire-tapping Mr. Androulakis, Mr. Mitsotakis was following him.”

This discussion should be based on the programs, noted Mr. Tsipras, saying that “if the difference is big, the Greek people will decide who should be prime minister. Noting that he is putting “the cart before the horse”, he added that “tomorrow I will present what we call an agreement forchange, the 11 main commitments for the next four years”, on which the debate will open after the elections. “People want change. The crucial thing is that people go to the polls. If we want change, SYRIZA must get a large vote,” he said.

Asked if he would make Loverdos minister, Alexis Tsipras invited the journalists to ask Mr. Androulakis. “Ask Mr. Androulakis. Is he proposing him?”, he said while to the question whether Varoufakis is also necessary for the formation of a government, he replied that now “will we put the issue of currency into the discussion? We parted ways.”

He stated that “You will be surprised by the composition of the progressive government from our side, We have brought 50-50 on the ballots, we have a number of persons who have heavy resumes. The central topic was the pandemic in the previous period. SYRIZA has Othonas Iliopoulos, Mrs. Linou, Mr. Gerotziafas. Where are the scientists of Mr. Mitsotakis? Excellence has shifted.”

For the economy and the fence on the Evros border

According to Mr. Tsipras, the SYRIZA program costs half of the direct assignments of New Democracy, which “bankrupted the country twice. In 2009 and 2015 […] When we took the country out of the memoranda, he said (i.e. Mr. Mitsotakis) that we implemented the 4th memorandum. When we completed the 3rd memorandum, in 2018, he said that Tsipras signed a 4th memorandum. One cannot fool everyone forever. They did it in 2012, they did it in 2015. We washed the laundry of decades. The banks were saved. When they told me I was doing a volte face, we went to extremes, I did what any prime minister should do to protect society. We went to elections and the people decided. We left 37 billion in the coffers, while we found them empty.”

He noted that under the Mitsotakis government “the middle class ended up living with coupons everywhere” and argued that “we taxed the middle class because we had a national goal. We were under supervision. Due to the pandemic, Mr. Mitsotakis had no restrictions.”

Mr. Tsipras, referred to indirect taxes, saying “we will immediately reduce VAT and social security tax if we win” and spoke of terrifying overtaxation. He added that the attitude of Mr. Mitsotakis is Trumpian, who even disputes the OECD data that say the average salary has decreased.

Among other things, Mr. Tsipras referred to the fence on the Evros border, saying that SYRIZA has no objection to its expansion, but adding that the immigration issue cannot be solved with the fence. “Policy must change. Immigration is a European issue. The country should not feel like a jailer. Everyone must take responsibility,” he said.