The Deputy Minister of National Defence Dimitris Vitsas, during an interview he gave today, on Tuesday 25 October 2016, to the radio station ‘’Parapolitika 90,1 FM’’, to the journalists Sotiris Xenakis and Vasilis Adamopoulos, he inter alia mentioned the following in reply to their questions:
About the negotiation:
The truth is that Greece is hard pressed from an age-long austerity policy. As a government and as SYRIZA, we declare one relatively simple thing: there is an agreement concluded in summer 2015, with the special terms specified in it. This agreement anticipates those things that the Government, Greece in other words, has to do, and those things that our partners, the creditors, the troika, the institutions or whatever their name, have to do.
We state that from our side everything is arranged. The first evaluation process was successfully concluded. We would like the second evaluation process to be concluded too. The other side, though, has to be OK, since it does not have rights only but also obligations. This practically means that, issues already arranged cannot be set on the negotiation table again, as for example the tax-free issue. This issue was determined in the first evaluation process. From that point on, it is finalized, we do not discuss about it. Another thing is that we can not draw back in the European acquis in relation to working matters. This constitutes the basis of a logical process as well as of the negotiation.
The agreement provides for the conclusion of the second evaluation process and that at the same time the issue of the debt settlement becomes more specific. This issue is of great significance for the country, as far as the necessary investments coming from other countries are concerned, signifying the framework and the heading of the country. The year is coming to its end and there is already an excess of the primary surplus in relation to that agreed. The first reforms are in progress and so will be the second reforms. The package concerning the social protection has already been increased in the 2017 budget. All these things create a proper ground.
About the development on the radio-television landscape
A law settling the radio-television landscape is not only necessary but also a constitutional mandate. Not only money have been lost but also the legitimacy and an opportunity has been given to set up an interdependency pyramid resulting in corruption. In any case the law is required. We are expecting the judgement of the Council of State (Simvoulio tis Epikratias), that will designate what has to be done and what is not. Certainly, the law has already been in effect but what the judgement of the StE can not state, and this is not an intervention in Justice, is that a Law settling the radio-television landscape is not necessary.
About the political developments in the country:
If those things we speak of, that is the good scenario, can not be achieved, then what is ahead of us is to struggle to form the conditions to achieve them. Depending on the conditions, one can readjust one’s policy. Since there is an unbroken parliamentary majority, from the one hand, and the electoral procedures from the other hand – as you ask me about this – nothing is going to be gained. We had elections three times in two years the referendum included. The Government has to undertake its responsibilities and the Opposition Party and the rest of the Opposition have to undertake theirs respectively. It is not possible, though, each time that the President of New Democracy changes to have elections.
