Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-10-17

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK leadership candidates address rallies

[01] PASOK leadership candidates address rallies

Leader George Papandreou addressed a rally of supporters at the Sporting indoor stadium in Athens on Wednesday evening, calling for a "new mandate for a new course and a new beginning" in his main opposition party.

"Today, I am calling for a new mandate, for a new course, a new beginning that will be binding for me and the entire leadership of our movement. To enable us to begin collectively, as of November 12, a new course that will be progressive, visionary, a course that will be reliable and victorious," he said.

Party elections are slated for November 11 for electing a new PASOK leader. Three candidates are competing for the post, current leader George Papandreou, former minister Evangelos Venizelos and prominent member Costas Skandalidis.

The PASOK leader further said a precondition for PASOK's victorious course is "placing Greece in the international environment" and referred to the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), saying that "the New Democracy (ND) government is exclusively responsible for the slipping of the negotiating position and of the strength of Greece on the issue of Skopje."

Papandreou pointed out that "the intransigence being shown by Skopje is the scheduled consequence of handlings by the government of Mr. (Prime Minister Costas) Karamanlis. We remind, underline and send a message in every direction that the 'Interim Agreement' achieved by the government of PASOK, and for which we are proud, anticipates among other things that the policy of good neighbourliness is compulsory and that there is no place for irredentist designs."

Referring to Kosovo, the PASOK leader said that "pressures being exerted by certain countries for the immediate and unilateral proclamation of its independence can lead to a flareup in the region" and expressed support for a solution that will be acceptable to all the parties involved.

On the question of Turkey and its relations with the European Union, Papandreou said that "the only path that will lead Turkey to the EU, security and progress, is the path of reforms and of respect for all the commitments it has assumed towards the EU and the member-states," while expressing concern over the course of national issues and warning the government "to wake up and do its duty."

On his part, Evangelos Venizelos addressed a rally of supporters at an indoor stadium in the Athens district of Nea Ionia, stressing that there was no danger of a split in the party and adding that the government "is the worst post-election government since the restoration of democracy in the country."

Venizelos pointed out that the time has come for intraparty democracy and said that "some are shocked that you will be deciding". He further said that the major issue was the party's defeat in the September 16 general elections and that some were fabricating arguments at the time to justify it.

He went on to say that the party did not exercise it right to win in the elections, while referring to the "autonomy of politics and to various interests that exert pressures."

Closing his speech, Venizelos said that "I cannot do anything by myself. All of us together can, we must open the doors of PASOK to enable it to become the big wave of the social and political majority. It is my moral commitment to struggle for the people, the party and the country and you can hold me accountable if I do not do what is necessary."

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