“On this difficult day with bad news, citizens of Thessaloniki, on the coldest day of winter, your presence today warms our hearts and sends a signal: the time has come for political change. It’s time for democracy. It’s time for justice and dignity,” said Alexis Tsipras, President of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance, at the beginning of his speech at the closed Ivanofeio Gymnasium, expressing grief for the victims of the devastating earthquake and support for the struggling citizens of Turkey and Syria.

“The government of inequality and injustice, the government of eavesdropping and corruption, the government of precision and sabotage, the time has come to answer to the Greek people,” he continued and added: “And it will answer to the people. Lies, distortion, toxicity will not save her. Evidence of a crime has come to light. From the competent authority of the state, which revealed the darkness of the semi-state. Mr. Mitsotakis systematically violated the Constitution and the rules of the Republic. To set your mode. To control and blackmail both his opponents and his own. Even the leaders of the armed forces. And to be able to carry out the most unfair, the most absurd, the most outrageous redistribution of wealth and income. From the weak and middle class to the powerful few who support him and he supports them. Because if evidence of surveillance crime is found at telecommunications service providers, evidence of revenue theft is found on energy bills, in every home, every household and every business. Evidence of theft is found in the prices of groceries on the shelves and at the cash desks of supermarkets. At prices at gas stations at each gas station.

He emphasized that “speculation has Mr. Mitsotakis’s signature” and, speaking of accuracy and the energy crisis, he pointed out: “They pretend to support the consumer, when in fact these subsidies also go to support their elect who insist on maintaining high prices or even raising them. This is the pathetic plan of Mitsotakis.”

To the crowd’s slogan, “Alexis Gera, let the right fall,” Mr. Tsipras replied: “The worst, most miserable right-wing government since post-colonialism and beyond will fall because what we have seen with our own eyes in recent years that we have never seen before not seen, and they will collapse if you persist.”

Mr. Tsipras was addressed by party spokeswoman Popi Tsapanidou, who referred to the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria and expressed her condolences to the families of the victims, as well as her support and solidarity with the people of these two countries. At the same time, she stated that she was happy to welcome Mr. Tsipras to her city of Thessaloniki as a spokesperson for the SYRIZA press, and stressed that the New Democracy government had left Thessaloniki.

^{Source: RES-IPE}