The Alternate Minister of National Defence, Fotis Kouvelis, in an interview he gave to the Athens – Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) today 19/8/2018 and the journalist Nikos Papadimitriou, stated the following:
Q: Minister, you have been also personally involved in the issue of the two Greek servicemen. I remember very well that we had spoken on the day when their arrest went public. First of all, was their release a surprise to you?
A: It was expected; however we could not establish for sure the moment when our two servicemen would be released and would return to Greece. What happened was the outcome of systematic actions on the part of the Government and in particular, the Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras. Efforts and activities systematically developed, by exerting pressure and raising the issue of violation of legitimacy and international law.
Q: Much has been said and written about how we got on this release. Which was for you the crucial factor that “locked” the release of the two servicemen?
A: I believe that what has played a crucial role and led the Turkish justice and Erdogan to this decision, was the pressure exerted by us and the European Union.
Q: Minister, what do you remember most about these 167 days?
A: What I capture is the long-term violation of international legitimacy and the aggressive rhetoric on the part of Turkey. A rhetoric that was accompanied by a practice that forms part of the tension scale on the part of Turkey, as well as the Justice’s refusal to implement the international law. I have in mind and I capture the anguish of the families of our two servicemen, the vigor, dignity and generosity of heart of our two servicemen, let alone the ongoing concern of the Greek society about this case that is unacceptable and at the same time offensive to our country.
Q: Now let’s change the subject and allow me to ask you about your conclusions as to the recent tragedy in Mati.
A: It is something that brought distress on the entire Greek people, as well as distress and grief on the Government itself. I believe that no mistakes at a strategic level were made. Of course, individual omissions have occurred and are being examined, and will be also assessed by the Greek Justice calmly and soberly. Furthermore, there is the serious question of the causes; how a specific climatic event led to the death of many of our fellow citizens, as well as the violation of legitimacy as to land use planning and urban issues. The situation of illegality and unauthorized building arrangements is an important factor for the tragedy in Mati. To this effect, the Government accepted political responsibility and promoted and promotes directly measures for restoring compliance with the land use planning and urban rules infringed in the area. It makes specific choices; choices and measures that will certainly meet with resistance. The interests that may exist and exist in this unauthorized urban planning are not a priority. We think that the solid choice for us is the collective interest, consisting in the existence of rules redressing to the extent necessary all those issues that have been recorded by all sides as important factors contributing to the painful event that has led to the loss of our fellow citizens’ life.
Q: This coming week however coincides with the historical time of our exit from the memoranda and the first thing I would like to ask you is whether our country and our economy are ready for this?
A: Mr. Papadimitriou, any set-off between the tragic event of the deadly fire in Mati and the significant event of our country’s exit from the memoranda formally on August 21st does not concern me. The Government, taking advantage of the new situation, of the fact that there will be no supervision and/or custodianship, as we have known it by means of its previous actions, has created the necessary conditions for proceeding with development and redressing injustices. Moreover, for supporting the Greek society and those social strata in particular that suffered the most during the 8-year period of memoranda in Greece.
Q: How will such a support to our weakest fellow citizens, but also to the middle class, balance with the encouragement from our partners and the markets for a “neat and orderly” economy?
A: Our economy will be neat and orderly and it is widely known that such an orderliness has been going on for a while now, even before counting a few days for our exit, our typical exit from the memoranda. Arrangements and measures have already been brought forward, supporting the economy’s revival but also its unimpeded development. Because the equitable development is amongst the Government’s priorities, precisely to deal with all those who brought the Greek society and the Greek economy to a standstill. And I consistently refer to equitable development and not development in a general and abstract manner, because the economic outturn of development should be allocated fairly and should be enjoyed by all Greek citizens and not by the few.
Q: One last question Minister: Despite the fact that we are in the middle of August, the political temperature is hot. Why does the Government say no to New Democracy’s request for elections?
A: New Democracy, and not only, refers to the holding of elections. New Democracy requests from the Government to proceed to elections as of the first moment in fact that its leadership has changed. What New Democracy says is constantly repeated let alone empty words. The country should get along and should get along with the Government, which scores positive results until the end of its term of office laid down in the constitution – and this is what it will do. In particular, New Democracy incorporates what it keeps on saying about elections into a relentless opposition, in an effort not to dispute the positive results scored by the Government that are important, simply because it is impossible. But it mainly wants to support its argument that if New Democracy wins the elections – that will not – it will change this place’s fate, as it unreliably says. What matters for New Democracy and its followers is to overthrow this Government. New Democracy, the neo-liberalism and conservatism that exists and is expressed by some political forces in our country has not reconciled itself with the fact that the Left Wing is the one that exercises government authority.
