The intervention of Kostis Hatzidakis, at the ND’s NGO, was particularly significant, as he attempted to give an overall political and ideological framework to the debate, setting out, as he said, “three principles that unite us”.
“Unity, without silence. Criticism, without self-promotion,” he said, adding that “we have no opponent in the hall,” but opposite are accuracy, the international crisis and the insecurity of pcitizens about the future.
The deputy prime minister stressed that the New Democracy remains “the link with society” and described the Parliamentary Group as “active and alive”, noting that the role of the parliamentarian can indeed be strengthened. He also defended the staff state, saying it is a mechanism for better government coordination and questioned whether previous governments operated more effectively. “The pressure from the executive state is not on MPs but on ministers, they have a reason to complain,” he said.
Hatzidakis also placed particular emphasis on constitutional revision, describing it as the “2030 agenda” and claiming that it is the main field of political initiative of the Southwest, at a time when, as he said, the opposition “has been stupidly backed into a corner”.
Referring to the political system and the distrust of part of society towards politics, he noted that the government has reasons to react to the “slander of the political system”, without ignoring the need of citizens for a “more modern and functional state”. He admitted that there had been “mistakes and omissions”,but insisted that the government’s work was important, citing among other things the reduction of unemployment from 18% to 8% and the acceleration in the awarding of pensions.
“These are the things we all need to say, both the MPs and even more so the ministers,” he said, concluding with a political message of rallying: “We are New Democracy and keeping New Democracy standing, we will keep Greece standing and give a perspective to the country.”
