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Kouvelis: “The issue of the President of the Republic in its time”

Kouvelis: “The issue of the President of the Republic in its time”

From the floor of the Central Committee of Democratic Left, which will determine the procedures and the timing of the congress of the party, Fotis Kouvelis talked for the first time publicly in recent days about the scenarios for his candidature for the office of President of the Republic.

Without excluding any possibility and reiterating his position that the issue isn't important at the moment, but should be addressed at the appropriate time and in accordance with the political climate created and policy, while he asked for the games around him to stop. "First, no game with institutions is acceptable. No party can prevail over institutions. The Greek democracy is a mature democracy and has gradually progressed by year. Secondly, the issue of election of the President Republic issue is of broader consensus. It will be considered at the right time and that time isn't now. Thirdly, the question of the President of the Republic will be judged according to the policies pursued" he said.

About the internal party developments in Democratic Left and the strategy he wants to follow, he stressed that the need for an autonomous path and for alliances so progressive options for the country could dominate, criticizing both the regular government practice and that of SYRIZA. He repeated the twelve points he proposed in early summer for dialogue as a basis for progressive governance and assured that the party congress will be open for any decisions. Regarding the negotiations with troika and any further course, he said that we should change the policy to focus on growth, create new jobs, necessary condition for overcoming the crisis with solutions such as Eurobonds, increasing of pan-European public spending, measures of money supply, reducing the tax burden to households of low and medium purchasing power, are imperative.

"The main objective and of the Greek government should be to guarantee the autonomy of Greek politics and the transformation of surveillance troika control results" said adding that timely Democratic Left had talks about the need to coordinate the release of memorandum at institutional level. He added: "The aim for this autonomy isn't to open the hands of the Greek political system, to open the floodgates of customer relationships, personalized favors and collective demands and satisfaction of various pressure groups and of interests. This would be disastrous and would perpetuate the vicious cycle of crisis. The aim is to change the mix of economic and social policy to a fiscal adjustment in an efficient and fair manner and lead to a democratic exit from the crisis. The mistake of a« success story with 30% unemployment is equally wrong with a dogmatic scaremongering of underestimating the changes needed with stereotypes of the past.

The reforms currently being promoted to be replaced by democratic reforms will stem the downward spiral with pathogenesis and will lead to a new model of socioeconomic organization" he said and stressed the initiative of his party for the establishment of a center-left coalition, which will only support progressive policies that strengthen social cohesion. He also condemned homophobic and racist attacks happening, saying: "They are worrying signs for the society". The observed spate of racist attacks isn't unconnected with the rise of the Nazi enemy, which is opposite to any open, free, tolerant and friendly society. "We will be against them. This is part of a modern anti-racist legislation, which, with proper treatment, can and should send a message of zero tolerance of hate crimes. We insist on the issue of an anti-racism bill" he concluded.