“We do not want and must not have a rival electoral list from Alexis Tsipras’ ELAS in the elections,” SYRIZA-PS president Socrates Famellos said in an interview with Action24.

He went on to explain, beginning with the decision of SYRIZA’s Central Committee:

“Following the announcement of the establishment of ELAS, we decided in the Central Committee that the new party is a positive initiative. We support it, we stand alongside it and we do not view it in a confrontational way. With this tectonic change that ELAS brings, we are working towards achieving broad convergence within the progressive political space in order to bring down the Mitsotakis regime. The majority of the Central Committee has decided this, and the SYRIZA grassroots agrees with this position. We either respect that decision or we do not. I believe in this proposal, difficult though it may be, because it is also what society is telling us: all of you must come together so that the Mitsotakis regime can be removed.”

Referring to MPs who may potentially leave to join ELAS, he said:

“The activity of the Parliamentary Group will be critical and must be strengthened in the coming period. Any thought of MPs resigning is far from my mind.”

Asked about what would happen to SYRIZA’s state funding and assets, he replied:

“Any such discussion is misguided when citizens are worried about how they will make ends meet.”

Regarding his relationship with Alexis Tsipras, he said:

“My relationship with Alexis Tsipras, both politically and personally, is very good to excellent. However, whatever we have to say on political matters should be said publicly. Alexis Tsipras listened to the decision of the Central Committee and I am following his public statements. I reject any notion of secret discussions or private understandings with Alexis Tsipras.”

When asked whether he would stand as a parliamentary candidate on a ticket led by Alexis Tsipras, he responded:

“I do not do politics on personal terms. I have fought for unity within the progressive political space. I have done a great deal, including making personal sacrifices, and I will continue to do so in order to remove this government.”

Asked whether ELAS could win the elections, even from the first round, against Kyriakos Mitsotakis, he replied:

“I believe this initiative can form the basis of the response to Mr Mitsotakis. Because no one can do it alone. Conditions in society are creating the prerequisites for the Mitsotakis government to be removed from the very first electoral contest.”

He also stated that elections should be held as soon as possible and that, until then, the party and its programme would continue to function as normal.

Finally, commenting on the government’s initiative to tackle the cost-of-living crisis through the posokanei.gov.gr platform, he said:

“A short while ago, Kyriakos Mitsotakis told us that he feels sorry and angry about rising prices. Now he is creating a tool to train citizens to live with high prices. Why doesn’t he do something to bring product prices down?”