The Alternate Minister of National Defence, Fotis Kouvelis, in an interview with the “ELEFTHERIA” newspaper of Larissa to the journalist Babis Lambadiaris, which was published on Monday, 30 July 2018, made the following statements:
Mr. Zaev must do a lot in his country for the Prespes agreement. Will Mr. Tsipras ratify it on time in Greece?
Re: It would be politically pointless to refer to the political developments in FYROM, let alone suggest – directly or indirectly – what the country’s political leadership should do in order to move forward with the “Prespes Agreement”. This government will ratify the agreement with our neighbour and, as a matter of fact, it will do so with more votes than the seats held by SYRIZA MPs.
How does the turmoil in the Independent Greeks party affect the marginal parliamentary majority which, as it reaches the end of its term, (may) want to leave a left footprint?
Re: I would like to refer you to the stated and well-known position of the leader of the Independent Greeks, P. Kammenos, that the government will continue until the end of its four-year term. The different views on the “Prespes Agreement” by our coalition partner are well known. However, this does not affect government cohesion. SYRIZA serves, promotes, and records the progressive content of its policy for society. We are certain that this policy will be confirmed by the election results. The end of the MoU regime will give us the ability to implement policies that support mainly those who were most affected by the policies implemented during the past eight years. It gives us the ability to restore rights and acquis taken away from the employees. We will be able to implement our plan for fair and progressive development that will serve the people, their needs and rights.
The division of responsibilities between Mr. Kammenos and you is clear. However, the tone by the leader of the Independent Greeks regarding several aspects of the official government line is often different. How do you view this? Would you characterise your political co-existence as harmonious?
Re: The ideological origins and political references of Mr. Kammenos and myself are different. That is well known. My co-operation with Mr. Kammenos in the Ministry of National Defence is harmonious, within the framework of the overall government policy and, in particular, regarding the Armed Forces and the country’s defence.
The retroactive compensation payments to the Armed and Security Forces personnel have been characterised by some as a potential pre-election benefit. Do you agree with this view?
Re: Of course not. The government restores an injustice to a category of employees who serve the county and the people under extremely difficult conditions. Our accusers for implementing the Council of State’s judgment should first look into a mirror for the wage cuts they made to the Armed and the Security Forces. I would like to stress that our government never cut the wages of Armed and Security Forces personnel since 2015. On the contrary, 50% of the retroactive compensation was paid during the past three years, in accordance with the Council of State’s judgment, while efforts are made to start paying the remaining 50% in the following months. Our accusers must also state if they agree with the €100 benefit which, upon our legislative initiative, is paid to our career personnel serving in Evros, the border islands of East Aegean, and the border areas of Macedonia and Epirus. I do not claim that it is a satisfactory amount, but it was all we could provide at this point, given the condition of the economy. In any case, however, it is a token of the State’s recognition for the service provided by the Armed Forces career personnel.
You recently stated in an event of the United Movement for European Left that the European Social Democracy must review its policy against the Left. Why?
Re: Social Democracy in Europe and Greece must review its policy overall. It must re-examine its position in the political map and shape a new political proposal. It must stop its flirting with the forces of neoliberalism. The European Social Democracy has indeed made a few steps to this direction, albeit slowly. The Greek forces that claim to support social democracy, such as KINAL, continue to go hand-in-hand with New Democracy, a party with an extremely neoliberal and often far-right agenda. They will have to answer to the people of progress and the democratic citizens they address. They are responsible for the policy that brought the society and the country under the MoU regime and creditor oversight.
SYRIZA has gotten rid of many “extreme” voices, while the government includes people of many political affiliations and origins, blue, green, and red. How functional and viable is this co-existence?
Re: SYRIZA has a live, interactive relationship with society. This relationship could not help but also be reflected at the government level. This co-existence is functional and viable. Those who disagreed and left had different views than those of the government. The need to establish the progressive pole is now greater than ever. The progressive policy is the one shaping the cohesion and dynamics of the rallying of forces.
Can the mobility in the centre-left influence the dynamics affecting the convergence of the progressive forces? What will play a decisive part in such a perspective?
Re: A necessary condition for the convergence of the left and social democracy is the self-criticism of the centre-left forces for their course so far and their collaboration with the forces of neoliberalism. The reassessment of its policy must be genuine, permanent, and not fragmentary. The progressive pole must be based on a sound foundation. Otherwise, it will disappoint those who aspire to it, who aspire to a new Greece, with social justice, with less class and social inequalities, with equal access to public goods for all, with fair and progressive development.
The New Democracy follows a hard opposition line on almost all matters. How is it affected by the creation of a new conservative party to its right (Baltakos – D. Kammenos)?
Re: That is for the election results to show. However, with the adoption of a far-rightist rhetoric and practice by the opposition, it provides vital space for political initiatives to flourish to its right. The New Democracy is hugely responsible for trying to shift the centre political axis to conservative and reactionary directions.
You often speak of an intense bipolarity – between neoliberal, conservative and progressive, renewing forces – being shaped. Does the 50 seat bonus for the first party reinforce this? What are the options for post-MoU regime Greece after the domination of the one or the other pole?
Re: There are two options. Either we will have the policy to build a new Greece, with dignity for its citizens, hope, vision, and perspective, or we will have social barbarity, with or without MoUs.
Do you think that during the (for the time being) double election (local government – European Parliament) these two poles will emerge clearly? What will this mean for local government?
Re: The responsibilities of local government have lately been upgraded and are further upgraded. The municipal and regional local government implement programmes and policies and proceed to actions which until only recently were handled by the central government. Furthermore, the resources they manage from the state budget, as well as from community funds, are significant. Thus, we come across the following dilemma: Can political and social alliances and coalitions be formed at local community level in order to implement progressive policies or not? I believe yes. What is necessary is that the programme and political convergence be honest and based on a progressive and democratic foundation; that the persons who participate in this effort can guarantee this venture. The left has a lot to show at local community level. The same goes for the persons who come from and support the progressive political space. The conditions are met both in terms of programme convergence, as well as in terms of the ethos and competence of the persons to enter the ballot. The citizens must weigh their options, draw the necessary conclusions from their everyday life, and vote for the local government forces who can guarantee, ensure, and broaden social policies at all levels. From access to childcare and schools, the reinforcement of welfare structures, environmental protection, and the upgrade of the quality of life to local development.
How possible – or… intended – is a post-election grand coalition between the ND and SYRIZA in a Europe shaken by the great problems of our time (such as the refugee issue), as well as the aspirations of the Sultan next door, who recently vowed before the “great Turkish nation and History to protect its honour and glory…”?
Re: Post-MoU Greece needs co-operations which will guarantee the implementation of policies completely different than those that led the country to the crisis, stripped it of all productive activity, and brought unemployment to society. We are separated from ND not just by our completely different ideological origins and political choices. There is another fundamental difference. The left and SYRIZA – and this has been proven by the three and a half years of its government so far – are not interested in holding on to power. They do not engage in small-time politics. They are unfamiliar with client relations and relations with parts of the economic elites. In view of the above, I believe that it is not possible, let alone intended, to have a post-election co-operation with the forces of neoliberalism.
