The fight for shared interests is on!

A day after the founding of «Democratic Alliance» by Ms Dora Bakogianni, ND has moved to attack, returning the fiery accusations received last Sunday.

ND spokesperson Mr Panos Panagiotopoulos and secretary Mr Kostas Tasoulas ascribed the fomation to Ms Bakogiannis’ obstinacy, aiming at Mr Antonis Samaras’ race for the leadership. They said that only a year ago she was a member of ND but her attempt to lead the party failed. Rigillis feels that the new party does not express «social and political needs» so it won’t last. Mr Panagiotopoulos reiterated that Ms Bakogianni was one of those who voted for the Memorandum giving a helping hand to PM Mr Giorgos Papandreou. They think that her party is on a strict neoliberal line, unable to represent society.

During her speech on Sunday, Ms Bakogianni accused ND of demagogy and secularism saying «Denying a life-saving vote for your country and bearing the political cost, is the definition of extreme and irresponsible secularism».
Upon exiting the Presidential Mansion and after meeting Mr Karolos Papoulias, Ms Bakogianni was in favour of «national rallying» against the recession. When asked to repond to Rigilli comments, she just said «everything will be judged in time and people will see who we are and what we believe in».

Rigillis is more concerned with ND congressmen close to Ms Bakogianni crossing over, rather than with the actual outcome of her project itself. The favorable comments of Mr Lefteris Avgenakis’s, her best man and ND congressman, that the new party will enter the Parliament were not well received by Rigillis. Their initial decision was to avoid writing off congressmen close to Ms Bakogianni so as not to make heroes of them. It is doubtful though, that they will tolerate a war of attrition by congressmen under surveillance - among them, Ms Elsa Papadimitriou, Mr Thanasis Giannopoulos and Mr Giannis Lampropoulos, whose stance on the recent elections was criticized. An ND party member was saying that there is a line which is not to be crossed if they don’t want to be off the party. Political observers suggest it’s matter of time before those congressmen leaning towards Ms Bakogianni are crossed off.