New Democracy MP and candidate for the conservative party’s leadership Kyriakos Mitsotakis has stated that he does not intend to bargain and calls his party to distance itself from populism, in an interview for Ta Nea. Mr. Mitsotakis stresses that Greece has a duty to implement the structural changes provided in the bailout agreement and notes that the dilemma between supporting or opposing the bailout is not a political choice.
In his interview Mr. Mitsotakis is also highly critical of the party’s provisional leader and candidate Evangelos Meimarakis, who has opposed the prospect of a public debate. He also commented that Mr. Meimarakis has snubbed the other candidates in ND’s elections, but at the same time invites PM Alexis Tsipras for a coffee and chat,
Mr. Mitsotakis is also highly critical of candidate and regional governor Apostolos Tzitzikostas for opposing privatizations. Should Mr. Tzitzikostas be elected party leader, he will not be able to represent New Democracy in Parliament due to his position as regional governor, which in turn would mean that the party would effectively have two leaders.
