Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday gave his last press interview before a European Parliament election is held on Sunday, while later in the evening he was due to address supporters in a campaign rally in Athens’ Syntagma Square, as other Greek political leaders were also on the campaign trail and television studios.
Mitsotakis, the president of ruling center-right New Democracy (ND), again appealed to citizens vote on Sunday and cast their vote his party.
In a bid to depart from the mostly internal political debate that has dominated the current campaign, he stressed that the European election is important because “Greece’s voice must be strongly heard in Europe the day after; because very important decisions will be take in Europe, which will affect the future of all of us over the next five years – and because ND must be well-represented among MEPs and with a strong percentage.”
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressing supporters on Friday, June 7, 2024, in central Athens’ Syntagma Square. Greece holds European Parliament elections on Sunday, June 9, 2024. (ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ ΚΟΝΤΑΡΙΝΗΣ/EUROKINISSI)
Asked about defense spending amid a recent initiative – which he co-signed – to develop a European anti-aircraft missile system, the Greek premier emphasized that the country will not skimp on its defense, as the latter is a “condition for freedom,” but if Europe gets involved it will only benefit Greece.
In a query over high prices in the country, especially surging food prices over the past two years, Mitsotakis said this is the biggest problem facing Greek society over the period.
“It is not only Greece that has the same problems, if you go to Europe and do some research, they will tell you that the cost of living has increased everywhere, even in the wealthier countries; it’s a major problem,” he underlined.
Kasselakis
On his part, the president of the main opposition SYRIZA party, Stefanos Kasselakis, forecast that his leftist party will receive votes that exceed 20 percent of the total in the European Parliament election.
Kasselakis spoke on a Mega Channel news program on Thursday evening before addressing party supporters in Syntagma Square later in the evening.
Asked about his predecessor and former prime minister Alexis Tsipras, Kasselakis said “Alexis is a banner for SYRIZA, his home. I can tell you definitively that he would be the last person to shut the door on SYRIZA.”
Pre-election speech by the President of SYRIZA-PS, Stefanos Kasselakis , in Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece on June 6, 2024. On Sunday, June 9, Greeks go to the polls for the European elections.
Asked what he would classify as a success for SYRIZA in the upcoming election, he said a result exceeding 20% of the general vote (of valid ballots) “is totally feasible, if not quite a probable goal”.
He also said anything less than ND’s impressive 41% showing in last year’s general election will be a failure.
“It doesn’t make really matter if it is 29 or 30.1%”, as it will be seen that the party that got 41% in the general elections but has suffered losses due to the revelations over the last months about the Tempi train crash and other matters.
Androulakis
The leader of the third party, in terms of representation in Parliament, PASOK’s Nikos Androulakis said “the Greek people on June 9 will have a historic opportunity to change the political correlations, seeking a better future for Greece and Europe. We can and deserve more. Whatever the citizens may have voted in the past, today they have a number of reasons to vote for PASOK.”
Androulakis cited three reasons why voters should support PASOK, namely, what he called a credible and strong opposition to the ND government; a strong center-left that will be able to defeat ND and because, by voting for PASOK, European socialists will be strengthened.
He said that if Greek voters again provide a strong mandate to Mitsotakis, then “arrogance, corruption, inefficiency and impunity will be taken to another level in the next three years.”
Other political leaders held rallies around the country.
