Bakoyannis riles ND leader
New Democracy is heading for a high-profile showdown between leader Antonis Samaras and ex-Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, who ran against him for the party presidency last November. Samaras hit out yesterday at Bakoyannis’s decision not to attend tomorrow’s ND central committee meeting. She said on Thursday that it was inappropriate to discuss internal party matters when Greece’s economy is in such a desperate crisis. Sources said Samaras, who clashed with Bakoyannis during a bitter leadership campaign, was infuriated by her actions and is considering banishing her from the conservative party. «The democratic functioning of the party apparatus and the cohesive progress of the party toward its regeneration are matters of political responsibility, especially during these difficult times for our country,» said Samaras, reminding his party’s supporters that some 800,000 people settled any internal disputes in ND by voting in last year’s leadership election.
