Loverdos' intervention on political developments

Health Minister Andreas Loverdos proceeded with a statement on the vote of confidence on developments that the government requires.

Mr. Loverdos states:

On Wednesday evening, I asked the House, as Minister of Health, to support the proposal of the Prime Minister on a vote of confidence in the Government by the National Assembly.

Yesterday, before the Cabinet meeting, I had fervently supported that the referendum on October 26th’s agreement would be, or would be interpreted in Greece and especially abroad, as a question mark on Greece’s accession to the Eurozone and a challenge to the Euro.

At yesterday’s cabinet meeting, I heard the Prime Minister’s advice on the basis that:

- We withdraw the referendum

- We initiate procedures for a government of national unity
- We seek a vote of confidence in order to avoid leaving the country in turmoil and without governance for some time, causing it to spiral into a chaotic, political crisis.

Listening to the Prime Minister, I explained my stance, by adding that - among other things - the seeking of a consensual political solution will precede the vote in the House, and immediately afterwards, actions to this effect will be immediate and effective.

I stated that it is unheard of to steal the House’s vote in order to sink our hooks into our own chairs. I stated that we cannot remain as a government after the vote of confidence without understanding what has happened. The thought that the wrong initiative for a referendum is stuck my mind, since it brought the country to a place where the timing of the referendum, its question and the people’s answer were directly linked to the country’s financial ruin.

There are no words to assess this circumstance. Between the decision of the Cabinet and the PM’s speech in Parliament, there was the meeting of the Parliamentary Team, in which nothing was mentioned on the issue. Worried about developments not only related to the internal political situation, but also to the European Union, the Eurozone and the Euro, I insist on my demand that there is a vote of confidence by the Parliament, regarding which I refer to my statement that if there are no immediate moves towards creating a government of national unity, I will not have anything to do regarding these policies, or any position within them.

As we know, according to the constitution, the vote of confidence is not given under conditions. Obviously, I put no conditions on my own vote, but I wanted to reveal the mindset under which my political decisions are made.

The Minister of Health and Social Solidarity

Andreas Loverdos