PROBLEM

The fiscal wake-up call was sounded by former Finance Minister Alekos Papadopoulos in his open letter to the leaders of the three political parties ND, SYRIZA and PASOK. Repeatedly confirmed in his many times black but always carefully crafted assessments, Mr. Papadopoulos accuses the parties of pre-election efforts to “glamorize the fiscal situation.” And points to “significant political risk of fiscal management the day after the election.” In short, the bill will be passed regardless of the election results…

ACCIDENT

We recently mentioned in a column the question marks accompanying the voting of young people who will stand in front of the ballot box for the first time in less than two weeks. In recent days, the competition between the two main parties for the favor of young voters has intensified in a way that is out of bounds. Following the “boss is crazy” logic, SYRIZA was the first to promise virtually free access to universities. In the election race, the ND is promising a check for 150 euros to every young person (Youth pass) who turns 18 to spend it on cultural, tourism activities or transport. It is not clear by what criteria these decisions are made, but it is likely that political planners in the two main parties do not even remotely understand the difficulties that an 18-year-old – destitute – youth faces. Until then, the only ticket young people will be looking for is a non-refundable ticket, out of the country.

FACE

Zoi Konstantinopoulou, head of the Freedom of Navigation organization, former speaker of parliament. She filed an official application for participation in the debates of political leaders, addressed to the Minister of the Interior, the Chairman of the ESR, the Inter-Party Committee and the leaders of political parties participating in Parliament and about to participate in the debates, and she informed all six journalists about this. Among her arguments, Ms. Constantinopooulou refers to her international merits as a legal scholar, as well as the fact that, based on the latest electoral contests (European and parliamentary elections 2019), Pleousi Eleftherias is also eligible to participate in debates, and it was also the first extra-parliamentary party in power. He also claims that, in violation of these speeches, the media failed to fulfill their respective obligations to promote the party. In addition, Ms. Constantinopooulou also raises the issue of gender, as she says her participation will also ensure the participation of a female political leader. In this latter Ms. Constantinopooulou is, of course, absolutely right, since women are (also) hypocritically treated as an addition in this election. As for the rest, I would not like to be in the place of officials who received a letter to Constantinople and are thinking of answering it in the negative.

PLACE

Chalandri, in a well-known hangout on the “beaches” between Kifisia and Philothea. There, Kostis Hatzidakis held another thematic pre-election meeting, this time with the women who supported him in recent years. The Athens North Sector II candidate, titled “Women Everywhere”, sought to present the successes of the government’s social policy in regards to women’s issues. The event was hosted by Mr. Hatsidakis’s wife, Popi Kalaitzi, and was first addressed by Deputy Ministers Domna Michailidou and Sophia Zaharaki. Paralympic athlete Anna Deda, AmKE “Karkinaki” co-founder Menia Kukuyanni and Natassa Papaioannu, a business owner who participated in a subsidized program of the State Employment Service (DYPA) and managed to get a real “second business opportunity”, also spoke.

ATTACK

“SYRIZA voters do not participate in polls because 5 out of 7 respondents do not answer. Do you know why they don’t answer? Because we live in the era of the Predator and people are afraid to say they don’t vote for Mitsotakis while his call is being recorded. And at a time when the employer next to Adonis Georgiadis is threatening that if someone does not vote for ND, they will be fired.” This is what the opposition’s official leader, Alexis Tsipras, said in a TV interview (Open), trying to explain the underrepresentation he sees as characterizing SYRIZA in recent polls. Where are you Orwell to see…