Opposition parties leaders on ‘Greek issue’

No vote, just addresses, all nationally televised

Political party leaders took turns at Parliament’s podium on Friday for an off-the-agenda session on the “Greek issue”, with centrist Potami leader Stavros Theodorakis addressing the legislature after PM Alexis Tsipras and main opposition leader Antonis Samaras.

Theodorakis called for the government to deal with its “internal opposition” and seek a national consensus.

The former television current affairs show presenter said his party will a deal with creditors and ending speculation over a clash and looming default.

Afterwards, the head of the ultra-nationalist Golden Dawn party Nikos Michaloliakos charged that the government has wasted four months in unsuccessful negotiations with creditors.

“Maybe the love affair with Europe is over?”, he wondered.

Communist Party (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas disputed the notion that the leftist government will do away with bailout agreements , warning that a new memorandum is pending.

The government’s junior partner, Panos Kammenos, defended the government’s proposals to creditors, saying the people’s mandate will be respected and fulfilled.
Kammenos heads up the small, rightist Independent Greeks (AN.EL) and holds the defence portfolio.

Finally, PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos underlined that the measures proposed by the government itself are much harsher than the ones included in the so-called “Hardouvelis email”, sent by the former government’s FinMin.