Tsipras persistently demanded at the end of his oration that Mitsotakis answer whether – as a recent press report indicated – the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was under surveillance.
The Greek PM replied aid that instead of provoking tensions, Erdogan should come to an understanding and dialogue with Greece, without tensions and extreme rhetoric.
Mitsotakis addressed the Turkish people directly, highlighting the importance of peace and harmonious co-existence, so that his message would reach Turkish society unfiltered, through the social media.
Why PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis lashed out against Nikos Androulakis but at the same time courted [former PASOK leader] Vangelis Venizelos is clear.
No one has the endurance to go through eight months of skirmishes over spying malware, wiretapping, and cases of surveillance, whatever government may have been involved.
In terms of efforts to commit Turkey to a specific framework for dialogue, it is mandatory that we not squander opportunities when they arise.
The PM's stern message to Turkey and against the steadfast revisionist front of Russia was a reminder that Greece is a Western country that is a member of both NATO and the EU and has a strong deterrent force with clear red lines.
The PM effectively argued that PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis exploited his own surveillance for political benefit, because he had already ruled out a coalition with New Democracy.
The PM described main opposition SYRIZA as a populist party that makes unfeasible pledges in a variety of areas, and suggested that a SYRIZA government would jeopardise the country’s economic progress.
Ironically, the article is entirely self-contradictory as it offers quotes of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that amount to a clear threat of a declaration of war against Greece.
Asked if the PM has been advised to change the law, the government spokesman said: 'When the prime minister feels the need to speak about this issue, you can be sure he will do so at the time that he chooses, if he chooses.'
'There is a strategic threat, as by all indications Moscow is seeking through economic pressure to stir social unrest and political instability within countries that react to its plans,' Mitsotakis told a cabinet meeting.
Asked if other politicians aside from Androulakis were or are under surveillance, the PM's ex-chief of staff refused to answer, invoking the confidentiality surrounding EYP an
The strong reservations of the electorate appear to be pervasive in the political system right now, and that can be transcended only with clear answers and political realism.
The PM refused to respond to the persistent questions of main opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras regarding the reasons that PASOK-KINAL leader Nikos Androulakis was placed under surveillance.
The findings of the GPO poll published by Ta Nea clearly highlight a prospective future problem – the danger of not being able to form a stable, viable government after the next general elections.
'It is all the more inconceivable to invoke legality or a semblance of legality when the [surveillance] case concerns the elected leader of a political party,' the main opposition leader underlined
“If you believe that I do not enjoy the trust of my parliamentary group, table a no-confidence motion right now. Now! If you do not do so, you will demonstrate yet again that you are cowardly,” Mitsotakis declared.
The government must not fill its basket with popular measures that are designed to counterbalance the major political blow it suffered from the EYP surveillance affair.
Dogiakos is reportedly examining the possibility that one or more employees of the Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy were involved in leaking information regarding surveillance operations.
The issuance of the decree was announced yesterday by PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis who said he would conduct a shakeup of EYP after it was revealed that it tapped the PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis,
The overarching aim of sending the “Abdulhamid Han” for natural gas and oil exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean is to forcefully assert the Turkish dogma of the “Blue Homeland”.
The public has the right to know what is going on - which domestic or foreign agencies, which centres, and which circles (official, semi-official, or unofficial) are snooping on citizens and why.
In line with the decades-long US position, the State Department urged the two NATO allies, Greece and Turkey, to resolve their disputes diplomatically, and to avoid inflammatory rhetoric.
Campaigning distracts ministers from achieving their reform targets and in the end harms them, as it exposes them to opposition criticism.
The prime minister dared. He made a difficult choice that is not in line with the tradition in Greek politics of the PM calling elections when it best suits him.
Rumours of snap elections over many months, for which the opposition is mainly responsible, had led many ministers to neglect their jobs and focus on their re-election campaigns.
It is inconceivable for MPs and ministers to already be engaging in protracted pre-electoral campaigns that will hinder their legislative work.
The substance of the state's digital transformation and its reception by the public constitutes a significant national success that reflects the progress Greece achieved.
'We are obliged to keep fiscal reserves so as to have room to support households and businesses to the extent possible. We shall not lead the country to fiscal derailment.'
'Mitsotakis humiliated himself. He begged them in his speech to Congress not to give us the fighter jets, in a spirit that does not befit an allied country,'the Turkish foreign minister said.
Katerina Sakellaropoulou stressed that Greece has approved imposing all EU and NATO sanctions packages against Russia, and Turkey has imposed none.
'Greece has proven that it is ready to defend its sovereignty and its sovereign rights,' Mitsotakis said during remarks at a health conference today.
The characteristics of the current phase in Greek-Turkish relations is hardly unfamiliar to Greece, as it is part of a diachronic blame game.
'We encourage our NATO Allies, including Greece and Turkey, to work together to maintain peace and security in the region and resolve differences diplomatically.'
'This must cease immediately. Turkey is not complying with any sanctions [against Russia], and that is not in line with the [stance of] the European family,' Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said today.
The new minimum wage hike must be combined with other measures, such as energy subsidies and improved healthcare, which will create a social safety net for those hit hardest by inflation.
The government has a duty to exhaust all of the country’s capabilities, in order for Greece not to simply serve as a hub for energy storage and transport, but also to become a producer of natural gas.
Greece, like the rest of the planet, is facing successive crises that create a protracted period of uncertainty for which everyone – society and the political system – must be suitably prepared.
When PM as leader of the top party [SYRIZA has long trailed behind ND in all polls] raises the prospect of a coalition government, other party leaders cannot dodge the issue and turn a blind eye to new realities.
EU cohesions depends on the protection of the Union’s citizens. The need to find ways to de-link geopolitical fluidity from the welfare of citizens in their daily lives is a major challenge for the European family.
Responding to criticism from main opposition leader Alexis Tsipras that the government did not send parliamentary approval to send arms, Mitsotakis underlined that ethnic Greek in Eastern Ukraine have been killed in the Russian attack.
'The government is adjusting its policies to the new realities as they evolve. On the national level, it has already secured its energy supplies, and we are threshing out scenarios that will absorb to the greatest possible extent the vicissitudes in energy prices.'
Mitsotakis and Harris discussed Turkish provocations against Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean, at a time when Ankara is disputing Athens’ sovereignty over certain Aegean islands, which Turkey claims should be demilitarised.
Doukas claimed that the New Democracy government of which he was a member, after the deadly 2007 Ilia wildfire, was trailing in the polls before the general election but turned the tables by handing out money right and left.
Citizens are not clients. They expect and demand policies and works that can effectively lead the country to a better future. Voters judge every government based on its effectiveness.
The PM did not have the necessary time to implement and advance his plans. Less than six months into his term, he was confronted with an unprecedented pandemic which took by surprise and rocked governments all over the world.
The fiscal space for the minimum wage increase was created by a 2021 growth rate of over eight percent. The growth projection for 2022 is between 4.5 percent and five percent.
Following the Mitsotakis-Tsiodras meeting, the National Committee on COVID-19 will convene to decide whether public health restrictions that were scheduled to begin on 3 January may be implemented sooner.
University of Thessaloniki Professor of Environmental Engineering Dimosthenis Sarigiannis told ERT3 radio that he is certain that due to the Omicron variant the country will not be able to avoid a lockdown.
The centre-left party’s leader was highly critical of the government and the PM: 'Mr Mitsotakis cannot hide his enormous responsibilities behind the extreme and condemnable statements of members of the opposition,' he said,
The study found that the mortality of intubated patients being treated outside of ICUs was a whopping 87 percent higher than patients in ICUs, although that pertains to the five percent patients.
Government spokesman Yannis Economou said the purpose of the meeting was to discuss issues pertaining to the pandemic as well as other Church-State issues.
At a time when a series of issues remain open, Greece and Russia have a certain osmosis that will continue with cooperation and communication.
Putin and Mitsotakis are to adopt a 2022-2024 joint action plan which, according to Greek government sources, will determine the basic axes of bilateral cooperation over the coming years.
Nobody is asking SYRIZA not to criticise the government. One is asking it to do the job assigned to it well, to push the government to speed up the vaccine rollout, and to unreservedly support vaccination.
With one of the main criticisms of the government’s handling of the pandemic being lax enforcement of existing measures, Mitsotakis announced that authorities will intensify monitoring of implementation.
The enormous surge in the number of infections over the last few days, that has placed crushing pressure on many hospitals nationwide, has alarmed both the government and experts.
'You must understand what the Parthenon Marbles mean to us. They are our pride. They are our sacrifices. They are the supreme symbol of nobility,' Melina Mercouri once told British authorities.
'Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest,' Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph.
The Greek PM said stressed that Athens is prepared to resume talks on an agreement on the delimitation on the two countries’ maritime zones (EEZs) with a truly representative government of Libya
'I am absolutely convinced that this prime minister and this government is applying the highest standards and the fact that they have immediately launched an investigation on the issue of the pushbacks is testimony of that,' the Dutch PM said.
While ruling New Democracy has always been a centre-right party, Mitsotakis has chosen to interpret that term as 'less ideological' and 'more practical'.
Yayci is the originator of Ankara’s expansionist “Blue Motherland” theory, which claims large segments of Greece’s territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for Turkey.
Certainly, the minimum wage is an extremely important issue. A two percent rise as of 1 January, 2022 has already been decided, and I am determined that go ahead with a second increase of the minimum wage.”
Speaking to a gaggle of parliamentary affairs reporters today, the PM maintained that a lockdown “will have no [positive] result” and he again called on all citizens to be vaccinated at this critical juncture in the worsening epidemic and asked those who are fully vaccinated to get the third jab.
The rapid hike in the daily number of COVID-19 infections and the alarming pressures on the National Health System in northern Greece have put the PM’s office and its advisory expert committee on red alert, even as the government is feverishly planning for a tough winter.
The PM declared that the chancellor has been a voice of logic and though sometimes measures imposed on Greece were unjust, she took decisive decisions at critical moments. He said that in 2015 she rejected Greece’s ostracism from the EU.
In a statement issued prior to Merkel’s arrival, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said that the German government’s steadfast view is that [Greek-Turkish] problems can be resolved 'only with dialogue and in a spirit of mutual respect'.
'Following our pressures there is a clear reference to the need for Turkey to abide by the EU-Turkey Joint StatemeNT…and indeed the European Council calls on the Commission to propose legal changes with specific measures and funding for the more secure guarding of our borders,' the PM said.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Cyprus’ President Nicos Anastasiades, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi expressed their determination to continue their cooperation on issues of mutual interest, bolstering peace, security, and stability in the broader region.
Greek Parliament Speaker Konstantinos Tasoulas spoke of a further strengthening of inter-parliamentary cooperation between Greece and Cyprus in the face of mounting Turkish threats and with the backdrop of the recent Greece-France mutual defence pact.
Regarding Greece’s procurement of three French Belharra frigates – which is essentially the centrepiece of the agreement - Mitsotakis stressed that the deal secured for Greece “the best possible price with the greatest possible speed [of delivery]”.
Διαχειριστής - Διευθυντής: Λευτέρης Θ. Χαραλαμπόπουλος
Διευθύντρια Σύνταξης: Αργυρώ Τσατσούλη
Ιδιοκτησία - Δικαιούχος domain name: ΑΛΤΕΡ ΕΓΚΟ ΜΜΕ Α.Ε.
Νόμιμος Εκπρόσωπος: Ιωάννης Βρέντζος
Έδρα - Γραφεία: Λεωφόρος Συγγρού αρ 340, Καλλιθέα, ΤΚ 17673
ΑΦΜ: 800745939, ΔΟΥ: ΦΑΕ ΠΕΙΡΑΙΑ
Ηλεκτρονική διεύθυνση Επικοινωνίας: in@alteregomedia.org, Τηλ. Επικοινωνίας: 2107547007
Αριθμός Πιστοποίησης Μ.Η.Τ.232442
