Stournaras vs Papastavrou for the Finance Ministry

DOL attacks Stournaras

For a second day in a row the DOL media group, headed by Stavros Psycharis, attacked the finance minister through an article in its To Vima newspaper. In the article, penned under the pseudonym 'special contributor' the minister is considered “over” and will be more than likely replaced by Stavros Papastavrou a close associate of PM Antonis Samaras. It is well known that Mr Psycharis uses the pseudonym to pen his own articles.

The article notes that in the more than 18 months that Mr Stournaras is at the helm of the finance minister has become an “almost hated person” and a synonym for “taxes and burdens.” The article opines that after the end of negotiations with the troika, in 2-3 months, Mr Stournaras will leave the ministry “amidst honors” and be placed in the role of governor of the Bank of Greece, as the term of Mr Provopoulos in that position is coming to an end.

But Bobolas' Ethnos loves him

In a totally different article, in Ethnos newspaper (belonging to the Bobolas concerns), entitled “Stournaras and the... rest” author Panayotis Lampsias notes that Mr Stournaras is unpopular probably because he refuses to curry favors with with systemic players. The article also stresses that finance ministers are not liked due to the nature of their work, which has to do with putting state hands in taxpayers' pockets.

In the Ethnos article, Mr Stournaras is seen as the person who was called to make sense of the chaos at the finance ministry, and stresses his “brilliant” role at the time of the country's entry into the eurozone.

Lately, according to Ethnos, using some “off” statements he made, he has been taking broadsides from several quarters that want to carry over their own sins onto the finance minister. The article winds down with an admonition towards the PM's office to step in and clear the air

Vima also loves Papastavrou

Meanwhile in another article, To Vima lauds Stavros Papastavrou, noting again that he may take over the finance ministry by May. The article entitled “Who is the 'unknown' Mr Papastavrou” notes that Mr Papastavrou has become indispensable to the PM, being trustworthy, diligent, and effective.

The article also gives a brief CV of Mr Papastavrou, noting that he attended the prestigious Athens College private school, and he is a graduate of the Athens Law School and has a graduate degree from Harvard.

The article notes that he had been picked by former PM and New Democracy chief Kostas Karamanlis for the elections for European Parliament, where he was first runner up. It is made clear though that he was never of the Karamanlis inner circle, or “circle of Rafina” as it was unofficially called.