Venizelos attempts to clear air

Junior coalition partner, Evangelos Venizelos addressed PASOK parliamentary committee this morning. In his speech, he insisted that he has never suggested that PASOK ministers would leave the government if PASOK performs poorly in the upcoming European Parliament elections (PASOK is part of the Olive Tree -”Elia” political party). He stated that that he was just expressing out-loud the main argument everyone was posing ahead of the elections. Moreover he referred to those that speak of a possible deterioration of the government as “cowards” and said that that PASOK is the “easy target” and the “black sheep” of governmental and political turmoil. He referred to all those drawing mixed conclusions on the performance of Elia party in the upcoming elections as supporters of a “festival of nervousness, of several free-of-charge shallow conclusions”. He also added that PASOK has intervened decisively to ensure that the social dividend is distributed to low-income citizens from the very beginning. His speech aimed at boosting PASOK Mps morale amid increasing concerns that the results of the elections will lead to the splitting up of the party.