PASOK leader: No solution other than cooperation gov’t

17:29 4/3/2013 - Πηγή: Matrix24

He told the more than 3,000 delegates that “PASOK emerges from the Congress optimistic and strong, having achieved its total restoration”, and thanked all those who voted for the party in the elections in the summer for the endurance, dignity and strength they manifested.

Responding to delegates’ comments on the type of PASOK’s participation in the present New Democracy-led three-party

government — of which PASOK is a junior partner — Venizelos categorically rejected the party’s non-participation or a reduction of its existing participation, stressing the importance of the government’s existence and its endurance for a full four-year term.

There is no alternative solution other than the government of cooperation of the three parties, warning that “no one toys” with such matters.

Addressing an audience that included former prime minister and his predecessor at the party helm George Papandreou, Venizelos outlined the characteristics that the cooperation government must have, adding that given that the country is governed in this way, it would be a paradox and a shame for PASOK to ‘gift’ such a government to New Democracy (ND).

Responding to those who proposed or intimated at a change of strategy and keeping distances from the cooperation government, Venizelos said that such a strategy would render PASOK a ‘tail’ in the strategy of the main opposition SYRIZA party’s leadership, and voiced a categorical ‘no’ to such an option.

He also said that ND would prefer a vote of tolerance in the government from PASOK so as to have the monopoly on the initiatives and decisions in order to deal with the sensitive issues by itself, adding that ND wants to have control of all the ministries that produce benefit and debit PASOK with the unpleasant the so-called Memorandum-related, decisions.

In the event of success, the government gains, while in the event of failure the governmental majority loses, and the biggest loser is the one who kept distances, Venizelos continued, warning that whoever attempts to play with these issues, petty partisan or internal-party games, is below the circumstances, adding that he addresses this message not only to the people but also to those interests that organize a “destruction scenario”.

“We must formulate the conditions of a minimum national understanding with the opposition too, even in conditions of aggravated tension and quasi civil conflict,” he added.

The issue at hand, Venizelos stressed, is how to escape the vicious cycle of recession “into which the partners cast us, applying the system of ‘support and punish’.

Venizelos reiterated the overture he made in his opening address to the Congress on Friday for electoral collaboration with the other junior coalition government partner Democratic Left (DIMAR) and other movements of the Center-Left sphere, opining that this would create a political momentum that would be beneficial to the country and enable the rendering of this alliance into the top political force. He further said that it is important that there be two poles in the cooperation government instead of the three that exist today: A Center-Right pole and a Center-Left pole.

PASOK, he added, in tandem with all this, was proceeding with all the moves necessary to create the big party of the Center-Left.

On the party’s physiognomy, Venizelos said that PASOK remains always a socialist, democratic, politically liberal, reformist, European, nationally responsible, ecologically-sensitive, actively patriotic and popular party, but it needs to surpass its present-day self.

As for himself and his leadership of the party, he said that he was fighting for a collective PASOK.

According to close aides of the PASOK leader, Venizelos was totally satisfied with the outcome of the Congress and the unanimous political decisions that were taken.

The Congress will wind up with the election of 130 members to the new central committee.

The number of members on the central committee could reach a maximum of 180, as the 130 elected members will be joined by emeritus members that include the 28 party MPs initially elected to parliament in the May elections but not re-elected in June’s repeat elections, the former party leaders, and presidents of PASOK’s tertiary organisations. The emeritus members do not include PASOK’s Eurodeputies.

Source: AMNA