Mitsotakis: A New Democracy government will implement swiftly Greece’s reform program

He said Greece will regain its credibility among its lenders. “We paid the price of lying,” he told journalists.

The government is building a new clientelistic state and creating a new generation of contract employees he said, noting that when he was public administration minister he tried to resolve the issue of fake university titles that led to the hiring of many employees but found strong opposition by members of SYRIZA’s government. Mitsotakis said it is one thing to sign fixed-term contracts and very different to promise to turn these into indefinite-term contracts, but spoke against mass layoffs.

On the issue of taxation and economic policy, the leader of ND said the contingency mechanism has already been implemented by the government “if we consider that the state pays solely public sector wages and pensions”. This chokes entrepreneurship, while over taxation and high insurance contributions send many businesses abroad.

Asked about the low pensions, Mitsotakis said the inequalities will be restored gradually but said he cannot promise immediate changes, while he admitted that some wages are very low and should be corrected. He also said the total sum of the taxes paid by the self-employed do not allow them to cope.

Asked about the electoral law, he said his party will change it once in power but noted he is ready to talk with Tsipras on any changes, even on the bonus seats granted to the first party. He also noted that even if ND achieves a clear majority, it will still seek wider alliances with other parties. Concerning a review of the Constitution, Mitsotakis criticized Tsipras for turning it into a “PR fiesta”, and reiterated ND’s position that this issue should be opened solely in parliament. However he said he would discuss the issue of the country’s debt with Tsipras to form a joint line.

Responding to a relevant question, he said he supports regional broadcasters as long as they are healthy businesses adding that corruption may exist both in large, nationwide TV channels as in regional, which is why there should be regulations. He also pledged to abolish the law limiting the number of TV licenses.

He admitted that a certain number of business people have depended solely on government funding and focused on pursuing their persona interests - all of which must change. “The state must intervene with the relevant committees, such as the Competition Committee, and the business people’s job is certainly not to befriend politicians, but to invest in their country.”

Commenting on a question about reports claiming one of the successful bidders has used a piece of grazing land as collateral for a bank loan to participate in the tender, Mitsotakis responded that the issue would be ridiculous, if it didn’t also have a serious aspect, and called for the temporary winners of the nationwide licenses to appear before the parliament’s transparency committee.

Mitsotakis refused to comment directly on the ongoing investigation into the communications firm of the wife of Greece’s central banker, Yiannis Stournaras, but noted that the Attica Bank report prepared by the central bank and SSM must be presented in parliament.

On the change of management in Greek banks, he said that Tsipras and former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis bear great responsibility and stressed the importance of attracting bank deposits which can only take place if trust is restored.

Asked about the ongoing investigation into ELSTAT’s data on the country’s deficit in 2009 and its former head Andreas Georgiou, he refused to comment, saying the issue is in the hands of the prosecutor.

On the issue of migration and the reactions of a parents association in the northern city of Oreokastro who refused to accept refugee children in their school, Mitsotakis said: “I will not allow xenophobic comments in ND and I want to be clear on this. However, we have to know what the government’s intentions are, as none of what was agreed in the party leaders’ meeting was observed, such as the separation between refugees and economic migrants and accommodation centers.”

“When there are gaps, xenophobia tries to fill them,” he added.