NEWS

Some ND deputies uneasy with party’s stance

There are growing signs within New Democracy that some of the party?s MPs are uncomfortable with the stance that leader Antonis Samaras has adopted with regard to the handling of Greece?s debt crisis, as two deputies on Monday voiced objections in Parliament.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis and former Education Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos suggested during the debate ahead of a no-confidence vote tonight that they were unhappy last week?s attempt to form a government of national unity failed, leading to a fresh round of public bickering between the parties and Samaras and Prime Minister George Papandreou.

?We have returned to the tactic where the leaders are boxing with their gloves off,? said Mitsotakis.

?The political system continues to be aloof and focused on dead-end populism and cries from the past and does not realize that as long as this does not change, people?s voices will grow louder,? said Spiliotopoulos in reference to the daily protests outside Parliament.

The two deputies? comments follow an opinion piece by ND MP Costis Hatzidakis in Sunday?s Kathimerini in which he said he did not back Samaras?s call for snap elections.

ND spokesman Yiannis Michelakis insisted that the party was being unfairly criticized for its position on the medium-term fiscal plan. ?We agree on the targets being set to control the deficit and reduce the debt but we disagree with the method being used,? he said.

Samaras is due to attend the conference of the European People?s Party, which represents center-right parties, on Thursday. The ND leader is expected to come under pressure to support the government?s austerity measures. On Friday, Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg described ND?s position as ?verging on being criminally irresponsible.?

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