Harsh conflict in parliament

As it appears, a battle of leaks followed the meeting of PM George Papandreou and opposition leader Antonis Samaras, concerning what was said between them at the 25-minute discussion at the PM's office in parliament. The leak about Papandreou asking Samaras to comment on the rumors relating to references to "Goudi", "gallows" and special courts, which created a negative atmosphere within the country as the PM reportedly said, was at the heart of the informal briefings by both sides. According to the PM environment, Samaras said that he does not support such views. ND categorically refuted such crosstalk. Close associates of the president of the ND commented: "Papandreou never made such a report".

Samaras arrived accompanied by Yannis Michelakis and Konstantinos Arvanitopoulos and later exited the PM’s office obviously irritated. The ND president was already frustrated by the PM’s speech to the PASOK PG, and also after the change in the time of the meeting by 45 minutes and the change of place from the Maximos Mansion to the parliament. The climate was burdened even more by FinMin Venizelos’ attack during a speech at the Parliament plenary a few minutes before the meeting between the two leaders.

The PM did not submit any proposal for a coalition government during their conversation, but he offered an extensive briefing on all the moves in the negotiations and scenarios for the outcome in view of the critical summit. In fact, Papandreou appealed to ND for support for the multi-bill that will be voted on Thursday and proposed joint action and attitude of the two major parties both at home and internationally.

When reporters asked the PM's colleagues to determine what joint action means, they ​​referred to the president of ND, saying: "Maybe Samaras can tell you what the PM’s proposal was."

According to information, Samaras did not hide his annoyance and protested to Papandreou at the beginning of their conversation about the content of the PM’s speech at the PASOK PG prior to their appointment. "I came to listen to you", he reportedly said and added, "if the circumstances were not as they are, I would not have come."

Samaras characteristically insisted on what had preceded the meeting: "You cannot swear at me just twenty minutes before the start of our meeting and then ask for consent." A few minutes after the departure of Samaras, ND members said: "It was proven today that we are not the ones scuppering national unity."

The PM’s environment stressed that Papandreou might not have proposed a coalition government to Samaras at this critical stage, but he did ask the ND leader for an "opposition under certain rules."

The PM will meet with LAOS president Giorgos Karatzaferis at 12pm, the general secretary of the Greek Comunist Party (KKE) Aleka Papariga at 1pm and SYRIZA’s PG president Alexis Tsipras at 2pm.