Voridis criticism of Andreas Papandreou creates rift in New Democracy-PASOK gov’t
Comments by New Democracy MP Makis Voridis blaming late Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou for Greece’s economic crisis have caused a rift in the newly created New Democracy-PASOK government.
Voridis made the comments during a speech at the New Democracy congress on Saturday, drawing strong criticism from PASOK.
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis and conservative MP Nikitas Kaklamanis were also outspoken in their criticism of PASOK.
Kathimerini understands that this led to PASOK leader and Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos calling New Democracy chief and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to complain about the comments.
Sources said that Samaras subsequently asked his MPs to tone down their criticism.
Ex-Prime Minister George Papandreou also issued a statement defending his father’s record and suggesting that former New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis was responsible for Greece’s public finances going off track during his 2004-2009 premiership.
Papandreou also pointed out that his PASOK government adopted measures in 2010 aimed at restoring fiscal order at a time that New Democracy opposed the EU-IMF bailout.
The former premier also alluded to Voridis’s past as the leader of an extreme right-wing party.
