A. Samaras returns the exploratory mandate to Papoulias

The first day of contacts between ND President Antonis Samaras and political leaders ended without a result, in the framework of an exploratory mandate to form a government received by the President Mr. Karolos Papoulias.

Accordingly, Mr. Samaras returned the mandate and now awaits the initiatives of the other two political leaders, who will also receive an exploratory mandate from the President. It is noteworthy that at the end of the process there will be an initiative by Mr. Karolos Papoulias in search of common ground between political forces. The first day showed the divide between political leaders since the message given by citizens has not been taken in, and also due to the fact that the birth of a coalition government will be difficult and that it still has a way to go without excluding a second round of elections.

Mr. Samaras consecutively met with president of SYRIZA Alexis Tsipras, PASOK President Evangelos Venizelos and Democratic Left president Mr. Fotis Kouvelis. The other two political leaders, Independent Greeks president Panos Kammenos and General Secretary of the Communist Party Aleka Papariga refused to meet, stating that their positions are known and that there is room for cooperation.

Mr. Tsipras made it clear that there is no issue of cooperation with New Democracy. He underlined that the program of ND is completely different to that of SYRIZA and added that he could not cooperate with a party which has signed the second memorandum.

Mr. Tsipras stated that the basic aim is to have a cooperation of primarily Leftist forces. The president of SYRIZA will receive an exploratory mandate from the President in order for him to approach the Communist Party and the Democratic Left, but the votes of all three are not sufficient to form a government and secure a vote of confidence.

Mr. Tsipras warned within and without the country not to proceed to new barbaric measures until a new government is formed, backed by a vote of confidence.

Mr. Venizelos, on his part, set the PASOK conditions for a coalition government:

- To have all pro-European forces partaking, ND, SYRIZA and the Democratic Left.
- PASOK does not set as its aim the participation of its people in this government and supports it with a vote of confidence.
- The government must be led by a PM enjoying broad consensus who can carry out this difficult task and renegotiate according to the decisions of the Greek people.
- To have a minimum framework agreement with Greece remaining in the Eurozone.

The last meeting was between Mr. Samaras and Mr. Fotis Kouvelis, who said he cannot work with the dual poles, meaning ND and PASOK. He reiterated that his party’s position is clear and it will move against the policy which was so strongly disapproved of by the popular verdict.

“it is obvious that a disguised ND-PASOK coalition, whatever it is named, will not be in harmony with the election message and the citizens’ mandate. For us the dual poles we set during our pre-election campaign are in effect: A government of broad popular legitimacy should ensure the stay of Greece in the Eurozone and move to a disengagement from the memorandum”.

After the round of meetings which took place in his office in the House, Mr. Samaras headed to the offices of the party at Syngrou avenue, from where he issued a statement.