The "sad" game with Lucas Papademos

Only the zodiac sign of the PM  - Gemini - can explain what happened in the last few days concerning Lucas Papademos. “Obviously, George has a twin brother”, stated associates who experienced the background, first hand, in the PM’s entourage.  They heard and read that “Papandreou is meeting Papademos in his house in Psychiko” and saw the PM… standing right there before them, in his office in Parliament. On the other hand, no denial. Not even a phone call from his colleagues to reporters saying “You’re wrong”. Why?

Obviously, the answer is not Papandreou’s zodiac sign. The case is not a joking matter. The PM’s team entered the mother of all battles divided. Half of them had, in the back of their minds, that Venizelos is not taking over, that in order to keep the party together they passed by Ippokratous street to choose their own desks. They wanted Papademos as a strong personality. They are the same people who confirmed the moves of the former ECB VP from Boston to Athens, and that the latter’s economy team would not include Evangelos Venizelos. The other half were interested, and are still interested only in a triumphant exit of Papandreou from the leadership, so that he can say he changed the political stage that he carved out new paths, as he stated in Parliament during his last speech. These members are for a political solution and technocrats that will distort the message sent to society. They were given the time to create the necessary… formalities, without the camera lights complicating their actions. That is why they only started “correcting” the media stories on Tuesday night.

The balance against Papademos was shifted by ND’s attempt to have primarily a PASOK government. Antonis Samaras’ tactics were obvious from his insistence not to have political members of his party in the new government. The ND President wants to have no picture of a coalition government created. Lucas Papademos’ ascension to power would mean that both parties would back it up, with the responsibilities and participation that go with it.

“Proto Thema” raises the following five questions:

1.    How many conversations took place on Tuesday between the PM and Mr. Lucas Papademos? Did they even take place?
2.    If these talks did happen, were there any concrete terms given to Mr. Papademos or did he set his own terms in order to don the mantle of PM?
3.    Was there communication between Papademos and Antonis Samaras. If so, then when? If not, why not?
4.    During the 24h of Tuesday, was there any intention expressed by Mr. Papademos towards a clarification of his declaration of position on the received proposals and their content, if said proposals existed?

5.    If there was any contact made or an all-inclusive discussion on becoming PM on his part, or if nothing of the above has ever taken place and the Greek people are deliberately being misled, is it true that Papademos intends to clear up everything on Wednesday?