President?s office contradicts party leader over document
The office of President Karolos Papoulias on Tuesday issued a statement confirming that he was given a document on Sunday by the leader of the small right-wing anti-bailout party Independent Greeks, Panos Kammenos, containing ?various scenarios for the formation of a government? despite the latter?s insistence that he had never seen such a document, let alone given it to Papoulias.
The president?s office released the statement after a dispute that broke out late on Monday escalated on Tuesday, with Kammenos?s associates essentially accusing the head of Papoulias?s press office, Constantinos Bitsios, of lying.
In the document, which was all over the media by late Monday, Kammenos appears to pledge to back a coalition government in the event of a ?national emergency? but sets several conditions, including the right to appoint the defense minister and other state officials.
Kammenos insisted that he knew nothing about the document and even suggested that the footage of cameras in the Presidential Palace be checked to prove he did not give any documents to the president.
Papoulias?s statement, however, noted that Kammenos gave the document to the president during their meeting on Sunday and asked him to forward it to other party leaders. This was confirmed by Communist Party chief Aleka Papariga, who met with the president after Kammenos and was given a copy of the document.
