‘We’ll start dialogue on social insurance’

PASOK leader George Papandreou expresses his anger with the current government and talks to Kathimerini about his priorities

By Alexis Papachelas - Kathimerini

By Alexis Papachelas - KathimeriniASOK leader George Papandreou seems truly angry, as he often says, with the government of Costas Karamanlis. In an interview with Kathimerini, he denied that his criticism of the government was excessive. He does not approve of any measure taken by the current administration and refuses to consider the possibility of a government coalition like the one in Germany to deal with major issues.

Describing corruption in Greece as a structural problem, he refuses to accept the term “sinful past” to describe PASOK’s period in power, while saying the government had acted like an organized gang on the issue of the overpriced bonds sold to insurance funds.

The opposition leader said that if elected prime minister, he would initiate a meaningful dialogue on social insurance, and he listed five measures he would implement in the first 100 days of his administration: a new government structure that would include, for instance, including a new Environment Ministry; a development budget spearheaded by welfare for the poor; a new tax system; an institutional framework for transparency and social dialogue of the major issues facing Greece, such as education and social insurance.