June 13, 1955
PARTY LEADERS PROTEST: Yesterday morning, King Pavlos had successive meetings each half-hour with each of the following leaders: Mr Constantine Tsaldaris of the People’s Party, Mr Sophocles Venizelos of the Liberal Democratic Union, Mr Spyros Markezinis of the Progressive Party, and Mr George Papandreou of the Liberal Party. As he left the palace, Mr Venizelos said he had simply informed the king of his views on the current domestic situation. «I did not raise the issue of the prime minister’s situation, because I have been informed that Papagos’s health has shown signs of improving,» Venizelos said. Mr Venizelos categorically denied that he had asked the king to dissolve Parliament. «Nevertheless, I have heard that some of the other opposition party leaders have tried to draw the king’s attention to the fact that the prime minister, Field Marshal Alexandros Papagos, has been absent from his duties for some time,» he said. The king said he had visited the prime minister at his home in Ekali last week in order to inquire about the state of his health.
