Alexis Tsipras: «Mr. Mitsotakis lives in a world of his own, not in the one plagued by a pandemic and poverty.»

A harsh attack on the government and, personally, on the prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, with a focus on his handling of the pandemic and the accuracy, launched from Larissa, the president of SYRIZA-PS, Alexis Tsipras, while at the same time announcing an initiative to consult with the leaders of the opposition parties, as well as with representatives of local government and social and professional organizations to address the pandemic.

"Our country has suffered the most in both of these crises—the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis," said Mr. Tsipras, explaining: «For months now, our country has held the dismal record for the highest number of deaths in all of Western Europe, and at the same time, our country holds the dismal record for the highest wholesale electricity prices in all of Europe…And I honestly don’t know whether the worst thing is administrative incompetence, sloppiness, inaction, ideological obsessions, or cynicism; vote-seeking or deliberate deception; or a complete lack of empathy.».

Mr. Mitsotakis is showing his true colors

He then turned his attention specifically to the prime minister, saying: «Mr. Mitsotakis, seeing the dead ends piling up, is beginning to reveal his true self. And he is governing with arrogance, fanaticism, insults, and frivolity. Like the other day in Parliament, when he accused me of putting Greece under the memoranda.”.

Soon he’ll be asking me to pay off SYRIZA’s loans too, because our party has saddled Greek taxpayers with debt. It may seem funny, but it’s dangerous. Because someone who denies reality can only become more and more dangerous day by day to lead the country in a time of crisis. At a time when the country needs someone at the helm who inspires confidence and security—someone who unites. Not someone who divides and engages in politics through lies and toxicity toward his political opponents. And who, at every opportunity, tries to gloss over a dramatic reality, proving just how inadequate he is for such a difficult situation…». He cited Mr. Mitsotakis’s statements regarding the «government’s positive performance in tackling the pandemic and inflation« and added: »The very fact that anyone would speak of ‘good performance’ when every day hundreds of our fellow citizens lose their battle with death—many of them outside of ICUs—shows that they are out of touch. That they are living in another world, and not in the world plagued by the pandemic, poverty, and anxiety about the future. And when we tell him that your inaction is leading us toward both a mass death toll and a new lockdown, instead of providing answers, he attacks us.”.

Proposals for Addressing the Pandemic

Mr. Tsipras then presented his own proposals

-Open up the private sector at last to admit COVID patients. Requisition the private hospitals—which you’ve clearly allowed to operate solely to attract customers—while in public hospitals people are being intubated outside the ICU and you’re shutting down operating rooms.

-Stop this nonsense from Ms. Kerameos, the Minister of Education and Higher Education, about requiring 50%+1 to close a classroom. The 25% cases are children. Asymptomatic children infect their grandparents. We do not recommend closing schools. We recommend closing the classroom for 3–4 days upon the first confirmed case. And children should return on the 4th day with a negative molecular test result.

-Stop using the churches and the police as a means to win votes.

It’s a disgrace to leave the faithful unprotected just to avoid confronting a few fanatics. And it’s unethical for an unvaccinated police officer to come and check vaccination certificates.

-And finally, let's get together now to organize a major door-to-door campaign for our fellow citizens over 65 who haven't been vaccinated.

Mr. Tsipras went on to express his concern that «The Mitsotakis government isn’t going to listen to us. Because while we’re counting cases and deaths, they’re counting votes,» and added «It’s obvious that they’re terrified that a larger bloc to the right of New Democracy might form over the issue of vaccination. That’s why they’re just paying lip service. That’s why they appointed the unspeakable Plevris as health minister.» Generalizing, he said ironically that «we have a Karatzaferis government,» since three of its top ministers are former government officials: Thanasis Plevris, Adonis Georgiadis, and Makis Voridis. He also noted that he had previously stood shoulder to shoulder with anti-vaxxers at rallies against the Prespa Agreement.

Initiative to engage in dialogue with the democratic opposition

The Mitsotakis government neither wants to nor is able to tackle inflation. That is why I believe that we, the parties of the democratic opposition, must assume our share of responsibility and respond to society’s anxiety. We must set aside our rivalries and coordinate, at the very least, on the major issue of the pandemic, which is costing lives. Regarding this critical issue, I want to say that in the coming days I will seek to reach out to the leadership of all the parties of the democratic opposition. We need to exchange views on what is being done and what needs to be done. I will also reach out to local government, to all major labor organizations, to small and medium-sized businesses, as well as to representatives of other productive sectors, with the same goal in mind. It is time to take our fate into our own hands. Because we cannot expect anything good from Mr. Mitsotakis and his government.

To be precise, the government has no plan

Mr. Tsipras, however, also referred to the cost of living, which, as he said, requires immediate measures to address it. Specifically, he said: «The government told citizens to search the Internet for the lowest prices. The problem is that it’s almost December, and no matter how much people search online, they still can’t find the government’s plan to tackle the surge in prices. Because it doesn’t exist. Because they’re still telling us that the crisis is temporary.

Criticizing the government’s measures to date, she said that the government is treating her with crumbs and lies, and asked how the issue of high prices would be addressed: «With 30 euros toward electricity bills that will rise from 80% to 150%? With 330 million in benefits, when—during a time of fiscal pressure, without a surge in inflation or a pandemic—we had provided 780 million in social dividends in 2018? With a half-euro-a-day increase in the minimum wage? Or with lies? Like the claim that the state would absorb electricity rate hikes through subsidies? Or that without government intervention, electricity costs would be ten times higher?;

He made a special mention of the Public Power Corporation (PPC), accusing the government of proceeding with the divestiture of PPC’s 17% unit in the midst of an energy crisis. He noted that Kostis Hatzidakis, who has been taking on all the dirty work ever since he took over the ministry, raised electricity prices. The result of the government’s policy is not only that the public sector lacks the tools to address the crisis, but also that the Public Power Corporation (PPC) is leading the way in price hikes.

SYRIZA's proposals on inflation

«Curbing inflation won’t come about with crumbs or lies,» Mr. Tsipras continued, and presented his own proposals: “Raising the minimum wage to 800 euros to give workers some breathing room and hope so they can face this great hardship. The abolition of the business license fee, regardless of profession, and the abolition of the solidarity levy for civil servants, retirees, the self-employed, and farmers with an annual income of up to 40,000 euros. Extraordinary income support for farmers, through the refund of the excise tax on diesel fuel used by farmers. The write-off of a portion of debts owed to the government and social security agencies for all debtors, specifically for debts incurred during the pandemic. A reduction in the excise tax on heating oil, diesel fuel, and gasoline to the minimum levels set by the European Union. The suspension of the excise tax on agricultural diesel.”.

Consultations with the opposition regarding the Recovery Fund

He referred to the Recovery Fund, saying that «beyond SYRIZA’s disagreement, there is an issue of transparency and democracy. The government is managing it as if it were private property. As if there were a company called «Maximos Inc.» that would manage and distribute the resources. This cannot continue… Since the elections, there has been an explosion in direct awards. Where did the money it distributed—about 5 billion—go? The clientelist state is being revived, not through public sector appointments but through the disbursement of funds that go to direct awards. We will not allow the same thing to happen with the Recovery Fund. And this is yet another point on which we can reach an understanding with the other opposition parties.».

Speaking in general terms, Mr. Tsipras argued that «the successive economic crises, the pandemic, and the climate crisis have exposed the limitations of the economic and productive development model that prevailed until yesterday. The neoliberal model, which was dominant until yesterday, is on the wane everywhere. Only here does Mitsotakis still fly its flag. The need to change course is now evident… Unfortunately, Greece has a government that is stripping the state of its public tools by offering tax breaks to a small minority of the population, rather than strengthening the state’s capacity to intervene and guide the economy.».

Our party needs a fresh start; we must stand strong today so we can fight tomorrow; the country needs a fresh start and a different government; all of us in SYRIZA have a duty to look at the big picture and the ultimate goal, which is to work toward victory in the elections; “Progressive governance is the only way forward,” Mr. Tsipras concluded.