Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis sternly attacked Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in his speech in parliament on Tuesday, during the discussion of a draft bill annulling prelegislated pension cuts.
"You are the longest-serving memorandum prime minister," Mitsotakis said, adding that "2019 is an election year and your course will end at the ballot box, with the Greek people sending you back to the opposition."
Accusing Tsipras of believing that he can mislead society, Mitsotakis added that "all citizens know that your policy is a great lie. Today you celebrate 1,447 dark days in power."
He challenged Tsipras to explain the statements made by FYROM Prime Minister Zoran Zaev about a "Macedonian language" that should be taught in Greece. "Zaev won what six prime ministers had
not have given him for 27 years. The Macedonian identity and language," Mitsotakis noted.
not have given him for 27 years. The Macedonian identity and language," Mitsotakis noted.
"We do not agree with the slogan 'Democracy sold out Macedonia' because you did it by yourselves, when the rest of us were against it. Even Bulgaria disagreed with the Macedonian language," he added.
"You exchanged the FYROM issue with the pension cuts, you exchanged a measure that you should not have passed with a major national retreat," Mitsotakis said, addressing the prime minister. "In Brussels, what they say about you is that no other Greek prime minister was so easy to negotiate with. You gave everything, Mr. Tsipras," he added.
"You have mortgaged the country's wealth and agreed to high surpluses, this is the unofficial fourth memorandum" claimed ND's leader.
"It was a policy against everyone.... The danger of not being able to borrow from the markets at reasonable interest rates and having to resort to the EU like beggars is not passed," said Mitsotakis. He urged Tsipras to call general elections as soon as possible and give the Greek people an opportunity to decide on both the economy and the FYROM issue.
Source: ANA-MPA
