New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis lambasted the coalition government and again called for immediate elections in addressing his party’s political committee today.
“The sooner elections are held, the better. Whenever they are held, we will win. I would suggest to Mr. Tsipras to hold elections before the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair [in September]. That would give him a good alibi to escape the trip to Thessaloniki,” Mitsotakis said.
“Let Mr. Tsipras organise as many fiestas as he wants. The citizens do not listen to him or believe him, and they will not give him another opportunity. The lies are over. Greece is an impoverished and extremely expensive country, Mitsotakis said.
Presenting his party’s costed economic plan, Mitsotakis said that it rejects over-taxation and calls for a 30 percent reduction in the ENFIA real estate tax. He also pledged business tax cuts within two years and a reduction in the VAT tax on the food industry to 13 percent, as it was before bailout commitments.
Mitsotakis also announced an ND party convention, which will be chaired by Vangelis Meimarakis, for 14-15 December.
PM’s office responds

The prime minister’s office responded to Mitsotakis’ attacks with sarcasm.
“We suggest to Mr. Mitsotakis, who proposed elections in August, not to expose himself to the sun, as there is a danger of heatstroke,” the statement said.

“Before the elections that he will lose after the end of the government’s four year term, and after the exit from the memorandum which ND condemned, there will be an increase in the minimum wage (which is rejected only by ND and the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises), the restoration of collective bargaining, which Mr. Mitsotakis voted against as an “ideological fixation of the Left, the further bolstering of the public sector which he maniacally wants to destroy, and much more that does not jive with the 12-hour work days, the layoffs and wage cuts that he dreams of. He can fool himself into thinking that he will implement his anti-social programme after 2023 [which would mean a third term for the government] and then we shall see,” the statement from the PM’s office stated.