PASOK chief wavers between old, new
George Papandreou has often said in public that he does not wish to imitate a leadership style that does not suit him in order to expedite his way to power. For that reason, his aides say, the Socialist leader has refrained from making pledges of lavish handouts which would lure voters but would be impossible to carry out given the country’s structural deficits. Papandreou is said to be against sterile opposition against the government merely aimed at appeasing that section of PASOK voters that seeks to polarize the political climate. Regrettably, Papandreou has not lived up to the political model he preaches. The inconsistency of his policies was once again made blatantly evident as the PASOK leader attacked the administration in the wake of the EU summit in Brussels. Last Sunday, Papandreou set the bar of Greek expectations from the Fourth Community Support Framework (CSFIV) at 20 billion euros. In addition, Papandreou said, Greece should seek an extension of the EU deadline for the absorption of the European funds. Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis achieved nothing less than the above. But instead of keeping silent, at least, the Socialists lashed out against the conservative government, and the prime minister personally, accusing him of taking a passive stance during the European bargaining. PASOK was blind to the fact that Karamanlis managed to wind his way between the clashing interests of London, Berlin and Paris…
