Criticism directed at Antonis Samaras over the stance of New Democracy regarding the referendum in 2015 were made by Dora Bakoyannis, arguing that the party made “a historic mistake” by participating in the process and legitimizing, as she put it, a referendum that she herself described as “a farce.”
“In my opinion, it was a historic mistake on our part that in our effort to keep Greece in Europe, we legitimized it through our participation,” she said pointedly, while also referring to a referendum —a farce.
Furthermore, Ms. Bakoyannis expressed her disagreement with the government’s proposal for a six-year term for the President of the Republic, saying that “we have no reason to change the constitutional provision,” as the current article of the Constitution can remain as is.
Clarifying that as a member of Parliament he is obligated to submit proposals, he initially expressed reservations regarding the proposed changes to Article 30 of the Constitution, which sets forth the procedure for electing the President of the Republic, which had been proposed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself.
“I am not at all sure about the six-year term for the President of the Republic. And since every member of Parliament has a duty to submit proposals, I truly believe that the two five-year terms are a system that has proven its usefulness in the past,” she emphasized.
“I don’t think we have any reason to change it; we can stick with the current provision of the Constitution,” he noted.
