PASOK celebrates 40th anniversary without Papandreou
- Written by E.Tsiliopoulos
In a speech at an event on Wednesday night in Athens marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of PASOK, both the party’s leader Evangelos Venizelos and former Socialist Prime Minister Kostas Simitis appealed to party patriotism to revive the PASOK Party.
The slogan “PASOK is here, strong and united” was heard repeatedly at the main event marking PASOK's fortieth anniversary, that took place on Wednesday eveing. As expected, Former Prime Minister and PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou was absent from the event.
When current PASOK leader and Vice-President Evangelos Venizelos commenced his speech, he said: “I am very sorry Giorgos Papandreou is not here tonight. I think that his spirit is here with us, but a prior obligation to take part in a seminar organized by the Royal Bank of Scotland, did not allow him to be physically with us.”
In reference to the cries and discontent expressed during last Monday’s celebrations, he commented that such expressions are undermining democracy and do not, in any manner, express PASOK party members. He said that those “noise makers” are not part of the democratic party.
In response to his decision to become part of a coalition government with New Democracy, he stated that he “fought in order to avoid a referendum and the IMF in 2009. Those who make comments of betraying the democratic party have no recollection of what happened back then.”
Venizelos indicated that it was not he that was first to reach out to the right as the initial overture was made in June 2012, a reference to Papandreou’s attempt to approach then opposition leader Antonis Samaras to bolster his administration.
Venizelos indicated that PASOK had endured the political fallout of the past four years of the country’s economic crisis. At the end of his speech he stated that “We move on all together, all those that vote for PASOK. This is my precondition, being a PASOK voter” and added that “the democratic party, PASOK, is not the missing part of some other party, but the third pole, the solution that guarantees the future of our country”.
The first speech at the event was delivered by former Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, who was cheered by the attendees.
“Some are still stuck in the past and insist on practices impossible for today’s Greece to follow” and on the possibility of early elections he warned by saying “ruling parties with no future of ruling, are shrunk.” He also indirectly criticized Giorgos Papandreou by referring to Papandreou’s now-infamous pledge ahead of the 2009 elections that brought PASOK back to power, Simitis remarked, “Let us not forget the cost for our country of that phrase ‘There is money.’” Simitis also indirectly offered his support for Venizelos, noting that “some prefer to remain stuck in the past.” As for PASOK’s prospects, Simitis noted that the party’s goal is to set the basis for a new, large movement, with renewed ideas and solidarity that will guarantee the development and acceleration of the country.
