'Nay-sayers in presidential vote with political blackmail'

Samaras' interview to public broadcaster NERIT was aired during the station's newscast in the evening and focused on Monday's last chance for deputies to vote for Stavros Dimas as president, before the country is forced to national elections. Rounds one and two have each failed to bring the needed majority of 200 votes (with 160 and 168, respectively), while the third round, scheduled for midday tomorrow (December 29) needs 180 votes.

Calling on deputies to vote for a Greek president in order to avert dangers to Greece, the premier said that those who will not do so will "fully be accepting that the country may enter a new adventure. No deputy will have the right afterwards to say they did not know - they will be jointly responsible for their votes and its repercussions."

Samaras warned that "people do not want early elections - they want a Greek president coming out of this Parliament. I did and have done anything in my power to get a president elected, to avert early [national] elections, because this is what national interest requires and because that is my own obligation."

His government, he said, "has spat blood this last year to keep Greece standing; I am well aware of the mortal dangers contained in foolish shows of manliness and dangerous schemes that will bring us in conflict with all our European colleagues. Whoever seeks these, is either a fool or serving other interests."

Asserting that "never has the climate in a presidential election been so poisoned as now," and that "the Greek people are experiencing an unprecedented system of political deception, slime and populism," the premier also reviewed his government's reforms, expressing the belief that if the country went to early elections, his party New Democracy (ND) would win them. He added, "Polls are starting to show that the lead SYRIZA had over ND has been reduced to the minimum; all analysts agree that elections will benefit the ND party. I don't believe that a Greek would accept returning back to the cliff's edge again; they will not make the same mistake within 5 years."

"Although [national] elections would work in my favour, I want to see the ship returning safely to the calm port. The issue is what is best for the homeland, not the party," he said.

Samaras expressed optimism that Greece would overcome its problems, and criticised SYRIZA for trying to force a collision between Greece and the EU, so that the country may be sacrificed on the altar like Iphigenia. "Greece is very close to overcoming all this - the port is close and this battle will be the last battle, to level populism," he said.

Criticising SYRIZA's programme as ruling party, he called it "a joke" and said it was based on unilateral decisions. "Whatever it says, they are unilateral decisions that lead to bankruptcy and memorandums and to a monumental clash with EU fellow-members and lenders - the people have figured them out," he said of the main opposition party.