Intense confrontation between Nikos Androulakis and Charis Castanidis in TV appearances with both sides making irritations, ironies and heavy political complaints.
In a climate of tension and political acrimony, the public confrontation between PASOK president Nikos Androulakis and former minister Haris Kastanidis has evolved through their television appearances that have sparked a new round of debates within the party. The two sides exchanged heavy language, barbs and personal references, highlighting deeper disagreements over both internal party decisions and the political course and choices of the past. The controversy brought to the fore questions of discipline, institutional decisions and political legitimacy, while statements on both sides fuelled a new wave of introspection and intense public dialogue around the character and strategy of the party.
In particular, poisonous nails were exchanged from the TV “air” by Nikos Androulakis and PASOK’s resigned Castanides.
Androulakis’s smears
The PASOK chairman, speaking on Alpha’s main newscast and Antonis Sroiter about what the former minister accused him of, attacked Mr. Kastanidis, saying that he is a person who was “erased by Papandreou, dismissed by Simitis”, adding ironically, “I think he is consistent in this attitude towards PASOK and their leadership.”
Also on the issue of the ban on the entry of MPs who have completed 20 years on the ballot papers, Mr. Androulakis referred to the PASOK congress.
“A month ago, we made a decision, almost unanimously, because there were over 5000 delegates. For MPs 5 terms, for MEPs 3 terms, for presidents of tertiary organisations 3 terms. And we did this for Mr Castanides as well. And it concerns very many, it concerns me who was an MEP, it concerns many, many executives, “said Nikos Androulakis, arguing that “we are trying to pass a message to society that politics is not only the Parliament, the European Parliament and the presidencies”. He said that “I don’t have a personal relationship with anyone”, adding: “It is not my decision, it is the decision of the PASOK Congress. And there is a question here. Did he come to the PASOK Congress to disagree? He didn’t even come to the PASOK Congress.”
Castanides’ response
Replying to Action24 and Serafim Kotrotso and Fofi Yiotakis, Mr Castanides exploded: “There should be a little shame and a little chippiness in people. Is there no shame in saying that Simitis deleted me? He didn’t expel me, I resigned. In 1997 I resigned with a harsh statement as Minister of Transport. In fact, he revealed that his resignation came because “although the Simitis government had agreed to have transparency rules in public works procurement through an independent committee headed by Aristovoulos Manesis, it backed down.”
“I regret that I cannot fight a sensational battle to come first in the eligibility for prime minister for Mr. Androulakis,” he added iovolously to add that there is no contact with persons or parties behind his resignation.”
In addition, Mr. Castanides praised Mr. Androulakis that his close associates around the country, members of the Political Council and members of the PASOK Central Committee, collaborate with the right-wing in municipalities, chambers of commerce, etc.
