PM Papademos wants to cool off the PASOK-ND frontal collision

PM Lucas Papademos met with the administrative reform minister Dimitris Reppas in his office at the Maximos Mansion today, Saturday afternoon. The meeting lasted about half an hour, from 16:30 to 18:00.

They discussed the political situation in the country and developments in Europe. Papademos wanted to hear Reppas’ view on issues such as the sustainability of the government, the time of the elections, cooperation between the ministers, and also issues of the administrative reform ministry, such as the course of the redundancy plan.

During the past two days, Reppas had come into conflict with ND representative John Michelakis, who repeated allegations about PASOK appointing its own people to the new government. In his defence, Reppas said that public servant numbers have recently been reduced, while reiterating the announcements that had been made ​public since October 14.

Reppas' last statement on Friday mentioned the following:

"While the government is fighting for the country, ND chooses to promote partisan goals as part of a long election campaign. As to the issues raised in its announcement, the substantive answers have already been given. We all have understood, except ND. The challenge is straightforward. ND can take the initiative in terms of parliamentary

control and bring the issues to the Greek parliament."

On the same day, from Thessaloniki and along the same lines, Evangelos Venizelos stated that ND "is no longer the opposition, but the second party of the coalition."

Papademos wants to prevent a "derailment" of the conflict and wishes to create a climate of camaraderie among PASOK and ND government officials until PSI completion and the elections.

Speaking during the budget debate in parliament, however, Reppas defended the handling of the issue of labor redundancy.

Regarding the criteria used to place civil servants in labor redundancy though, he acknowledged that "these horizontal policies are by definition unjust and irrational," but attributed them to pressing needs.

Speaking of anti-coalition governing, he also attacked ND indirectly for its stance within Papademos’ government.