Nikos Pappas today made his first speech in Parliament as President of the SYRIZA Parliamentary Group.
Mr Pappas called on PASOK and the other progressive parties to unite in parliament against the government, while asking the 11 blue parties to support SYRIZA’s amendment on red loans.
The chairman of SYRIZA’s KO harshly criticized the government, mainly on economic issues, while calling on Nikos Androulakis and PASOK MPs to join parliament in order to overturn the government’s choices “that harm our people.”
At the same time, he asked the 11 “blue” MPs to cancel their vote on the bills on red loans and to support SYRIZA’s amendment.
“For more than five years, you have not addressed the crises, but rather amplified them,” Pappas said, looking at the New Democracy seats. “Greece ranked 21st in Europe in terms of growth over the four-year period 2019-2023, according to Eurostat. With cumulative growth of 5.8%. Or 1.4% per year. Even though it had the Recovery Fund but also the possibility of public spending. Even though financing lines were opened and public money was available. With your policy, we rank 23rd in the EU. in terms of average wages,” Pappas said.
Speaking with a ten-year horizon, the KO SYRIZA president said: “The greatest challenges of the time will not find a solution in conservative policies. If we look to 2034, ten years from now, and assume that current policies do not change, we will find that these policies will have left many challenges unresolved.
Demographics: in 10 years we will be approaching half a million fewer citizens, since deaths already exceed births by 68%. Climate change: in 10 years we will be surrounded by arid areas – due to fires or floods – of abandoned lands and production. Economic hardship: in 10 years, without a progressive productive and economic model, we will be at an impasse.
Progressive change is needed. Mr Mitsotakis’ policies are not the inevitable fate and the inevitable path for the Greek people.”
I called Nikos Androulakis
Then Nikos Pappas, speaking of Nikos Androulakis, said: “I heard that he is in favour of initiatives that protect the weakest. I welcome the statement made by Mr Androulakis on a television station, where he said he is in favour of any cooperation that affects the choices made by the government against our people. And I call on the PASOK MPs, the MPs of the progressive parties, to support our proposal. Here is Rhodes… Come, let’s present the proposal together!” Addressing the Blue 11, he said: “to do the same, cancelling the vote on the bankruptcy law”.
For the Presidency of the Republic
However, the president of SYRIZA’s KO did not dwell only on economic issues, but also referred to the Presidency of the Republic. He insisted on the position he expressed in the TIF, saying that: “As the debate on the PTT elections is shortened, we call on progressive forces to consider supporting a person who comes from the left or the progressive faction. Our position will be this because we believe that there are no fools.”
Finally, Mr. Pappas said that “the progressive path will not be interrupted by any effort by ND. No liquidation scenario, no operation to fragment the progressive faction will prevail. No scenario of liquidation of historical memory will prosper. Especially, with regard to the attempt at historical revisionism that Mr. Mitsotakis is developing, addressing the period of the post-conflict state and the junta, but also the days of the SYRIZA government, we promise you that you will find us in the opposite.”