The three phone calls that did NOT make history

The apparent initial agreement on a coalition government collapsed before being realized through an orgy of background processes and consultations with Maximos Mansion circles complaining about Antonis Samaras leaking information to the media, and Syggrou avenue talking about Giorgos Papandreou's withdrawal from the original agreement after pressure from his staff.

According to PASOK’s version, the 3rd and final call was made only moments before the PM’s statement, where he let Samaras know that they cannot collaborate on such a level. It seems the PM was very annoyed by the leaks that came from Syggrou about specific conditions in order to reach agreement on a coalition government.

The second point that disturbed Maximos Mansion was the talk that had thrived during the last hours from the New Democracy side about the failure of the PASOK government.

The third reason, which triggered the coalition government scenario, was that the PM found out about the basic conditions in order to proceed along this route from the media, not from Antonis Samaras. An example of such a condition was that Syggrou wanted a government for the renegotiation of the memorandum and not a government that would remain in power longer, as Papandreou had in mind.

All the while, the PM had been making efforts to find common ground for consensus, even by suggesting a different person as prime minister, which had a negative result. In short, Papandreou's associates argue that the government and opposition held opinions which were too different to allow reaching an agreement.

Samaras blames the withdrawal of the PM, due to the pressure he received from his associates and the inside of his party, for the collapse of the negotiations on a coalition government.

Speaking to journalists just before his statement, Samaras said the there had been 3 calls between them. During the first one and after his meeting with Papoulias, Papandreou asked him to support a coalition government.

The ND leader answered that he cannot stand under the umbrella “of a failed policy”. He said he will support a common effort if Papandreou would resign and a person and government of general consent were to be appointed with a mission to renegotiate the memorandum and the mid-term program.

In fact, Samaras asked that this government have a specific timetable and call for elections as soon as possible. Papandreou said that it is wrong to define such tight margins and Samaras agreed on a six-month period.

Thus, Samaras was under the impression that an agreement had been reached between them and received a call from Papandreou confirming the agreement points. The PM told him that he should inform his own staff and then announce it.

But finally, the PM called back minutes before his public address and told him that their deal was off because of the leaks that had created impressions. Samaras answered that the leaks cannot be the reason that a deal of national importance is being called off.