That the mood inside the parliamentary group of the New Democracy has been different for a long time was easily realised, seeing the image of the “blue” MPs standing up in Parliament to applaud the announcements of Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the intervention on bank charges, on the support of low pensioners and the military, commitments which were specified yesterday.

This mood is expected to be sealed today at noon, according to protothema.gr, Kyriakos Mitsotakis has invited NDND MPs who are not members of the government to the Maximou Mansion for a “loose wine” ahead of the holidays, according to protothema.gr.

The appointment has been set for noon in the large hall of the government headquarters, which is rarely opened for such occasions. 111 deputies have received an invitation from the Maximos Mansion, while the practical handling was handled by the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Giorgos Mylonakis, and the secretary of the parliamentary group, Stavros Kalafatis.

It is recalled that the event was originally planned on the occasion of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the New Democracy, but was postponed. That period was marked by the internal party tension, after the deletion of Antonis Samaras, but everyone agrees that the tension that was building up has been defused. It was, after all, a high-risk move, but also a clear message from Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who did not want to perpetuate a government that was paralyzing for the government’s work and undermining government cohesion.

The utilization of the proposals

The call comes at a key point and for another reason. The Prime Minister’s announcements in Parliament were, among other things, a substantial acknowledgement of the proposals made by ND MPs through parliamentary questions. As protothema.gr wrote yesterday, the issue of equating the “old” with the “new beneficiaries” of the CSF had made a group of 8 MPs of the Southwest, led by the “samara” MP from Messinia, Miltos Chrysomallis, who had asked a separate question a few days ago.

Mitsotakis’ announcement, apart from the satisfaction it caused to a large part of the Parliamentary Group, was also a clear message that constructive proposals and interventions are being utilized. It is a win-win strategy, government sources said, as the government appears to have “open ears” to the demands of society, while MPs can tell their constituents that they are making interventions that are working.

Indicative is yesterday’s statement by Larissa’s ND MP, Maximos Charakopoulos, who has “raised” several issues with questions regarding the Prime Minister’s announcements. “These measures constitute at the same time a vindication for all government MPs, who throughout the previous period we insisted through parliamentary control, in taking similar measures, listening to the anguish of citizens,” Mr. Charakopoulos said in a statement.

Avgenakis expects, the “Spartans” do not

Not invited to today’s…gathering at Maximou, however, is independent MP Lefteris Avgenakis, who voted for the budget and is on the verge of returning to the ranks of the ND’s Central Committee. The time for the manifestation of this initiative on the part of Maximou belongs to the Prime Minister, while Avgenakis continues his own contacts program as usual.

The programme is continuing with his regular activities.

On the other hand, the Maximou Mansion is “cutting off” any talk of integrating the three independent MPs from the “Spartians” who voted for the budget into the ranks of the New Democracy party. While Haralambos Katsivardas has long supported government legislation, his role as legal counsel for Ilias Kasidiaris in the past makes any discussion prohibitive. Also, the support of Giorgos Aspiotis and Michalis Gavgiotakis does not “imply” any quid pro quo, government sources point out. It should be noted that these two MPs have co-founded a party to the right of the Southwest, “National Co-operation-PARON”.

From the Maximou Mansion, they recall the attitude of the ND historically on the issue of the persecution of Golden Dawn, but also the government regulation to exclude the Spartans from the recent European elections as a party vehicle of Elias Kasidiaris.