“This government is not capable to implement the reforms that the country needs. Even if a deal is reached, the current government will be again on a collision course with our European partners. This is what Stavros Theodorakis stated in an interview with the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
The leader of Potami added that “lately, Greek politicians are experimenting with how it feels to be on the edge”. He stated, once again, that Potami “will help if SYRIZA suggests something good for the country, however this does not mean that it would agree to be part of this coalition government”. He also pointed out that “if Mr Tsipras fails, we are ready. We have a negotiating team, made up of very important people in Greece and abroad. We will make it!”.
Read the entire interview, as it has been published in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung:
Stavros Theodorakis, who recently appeared in the political scene in Greece, makes realistic proposals and adopts a harsh approach towards the Prime Minister.
Stavros Theodorakis, representing the hope of rejuvenation in the Greek political landscape, does not accept the mainstream belief that the Europeans had two options, either Tsipras, or the chaos. This new movement, Potami, aims at governing Greece. All in good time. “Things in Greece can be done differently”. This is the firm belief of Stavros Theodorakis, one of the most renowned journalists in the country up until 2014, who is now the founder and leader of Potami.
Although the party was established during the term of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, it does not save its criticism to the leftist Alexis Tsipras either.
“This government is not in a position to implement the reforms that the country needs. Even if we reach a deal with the institutions, very soon this government will find itself once again in a collision course with our European partners”.
He is blaming the government for not having any sort of plan and for being under the influence of opinions expressed by the members of his party in Athens. The way most SYRIZA members express themselves is in no way different from how extremists do.
“When referring to our European partners, they use expressions like: “They suck our blood, they must give back the money that they owe us. This is all part of their plot to enslave us.” Just listening to these statements, one could be sure that they came from either the Golden Dawn fascists, the right wing of Independent Greeks, or the populists inside of SYRIZA”.
“Lately, Greek politicians are experimenting with how it feels to be on the edge. They may think that, at the last moment, a miracle will prevent the fall. I personally do not believe in miracles and this is the reason that I decided to found a party, a party of reason, a pro-European and progressive political party,” stated Stavros Theodorakis.
He also declares his readiness to support, in the Hellenic Parliament, proposals aimed to benefit the country. “If SYRIZA tables something good for the country, if we are asked to assist, and if we are finally convinced this is the right thing to do, we will help,” says Mr Theodorakis. “But this does not mean that we would accept to become part of this coalition government”. Despite the fact he is left at heart, Stavros Theodorakis has nothing in common with the communist and populist mindset of those governing. “We are responsible for the economic crisis we face. We borrowed money and spent it, without having any functioning organizations. On the other hand, the European Union didn’t know what to do with Greece. Leaving the country in the hands of technocrats or following blueprints for fiscal consolidation from other countries, like Argentina, in Greece is no solution”.
Even on the controversial Memorandum, he has a different opinion: “The Memorandum itself does not impose austerity, however the interpretation of its content does. The way Greek politicians have interpreted the Memorandum was mistaken. Instead of proceeding with rapid reforms, they preferred to impose further austerity measures. Of course, Europe bears its own responsibility for that. Troika put a lot of pressure for a few millions missing from the budget, but not the same amount of pressure for the completion of Real Estate Cadastre or the taxation system”.
Stavros Theodorakis aspires to implement radical reforms. “We are not a typical political party; we don’t practice clientelism. We cooperate with people coming from every corner of Greece, with different ideologies, liberals, social-democrats and leftists. We use their skills, not to control the state, but in order to find ideas and solutions that will help the majority of Greeks. We start right from the fountainhead,” stresses Mr Theodorakis, obviously playing with words that evoke the name of his political party, to Potami, meaning the River, with the pure water cleaning the dirt off the coasts.
Finally, asked to comment on Greece’s perspective, he says: “if Mr Tsipras fails, we are ready. We have a negotiating team, made up of very important people in Greece and abroad. We will make it!”.
4 June 2015
