Prime minister throws down the gauntlet

Karamanlis dares ND rebels to stand up

New Democracy party members follow the prime minister’s speech on TV screens at yesterday’s meeting in Athens of ND’s central committee. Karamanlis’s address went down well with the conservatives but several of the rebels he challenged to bring down the government insisted during their speeches that they would continue to speak their minds.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis attempted to breathe new life into his party and his leadership yesterday by challenging any New Democracy deputies who are not satisfied to stand up and bring down the government.

In a highly charged speech to the conservative party’s central committee, Karamanlis attempted to reassert his authority, which has wavered in recent weeks on the back of a series of scandals and constant backbiting by some MPs.

The premier informed the rebels within his party that he had had enough of their criticism and would no longer be “blackmailed” by them. He suggested that with New Democracy having a majority of just two in Parliament, they could vote against the government and bring about elections.

“There is no dilemma: I say ‘No’ to the chipping away of this government. ‘No’ to its undermining. To those who have other plans, face me head on: Topple this government!”

Karamanlis also told those who are demanding a Cabinet reshuffle to back off as he would decide when to make changes in his own time.

“The issue of changes in the government has now become part of the public debate,” he said. “There are two types of changes: either in policy or in faces. Both are very big chapters. Such decisions cannot be taken under terms set by current affairs or with the aim of making an impact.”

The prime minister accepted that there had been mistakes and delays in his government and vowed that the controversial land deal with the Vatopedi Monastery would be cleared up and that the public interest would be protected.

Karamanlis also reserved some criticism for PASOK and its leader George Papandreou.

“How do those, who today promise billions without reckoning how big the deficits will become, forget that just the interest we are paying on the debt they left behind costs more than 10 billion euros?” he asked.

PASOK responded by saying that the prime minister’s speech had been “solely directed at internal workings of New Democracy and was totally detached from society’s real problems.” Privately, the Socialists expressed fears that the speech would give Karamanlis and ND a bounce in the polls.