ND spokesman’s comments prompt angry response from PASOK
In a fresh sign of growing tension in the Greek coalition government, PASOK spokesman Dimitris Karydis (photo) accused New Democracy parliamentary spokesman Adonis Georgiadis of calling on the government “to pull its pants down” to the country’s international lenders, calling him a “spokesman for the troika.”
Karydis was responding to comments made earlier on Tuesday by Georgiadis on Mega television in which the conservative cadre accused PASOK of blocking crucial reforms demanded by the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund.
“For six months we have not voted on a single term outlined in the memorandum,” Georgiadis told Mega television in an interview on Tuesday morning, accusing the socialists of thwarting the country’s reform drive.
“The troika is taking advantage of this political turmoil to put pressure on the government,” Georgiadis said.
“New Democracy’s parliamentary spokesman, Mr Georgiadis, appears on television as a self-appointed defender of the troika, accusing PASOK because it is reacting to the reduction of pensions, the deregulation of mass dismissals and the increase of value-added tax on foodstuffs,” Karydis said in his statement. “Mr Georgiadis is asking us to pull our pants down to irrational demands. Someone in his party needs to rein him in because he is directly undermining negotiations with our creditors.
“Is he speaking on behalf of New Democracy or the troika?” Karydis said.
