Clash over signatures

While everyone is waiting for speeches by George Papandreou and Evangelos Venizelos, the battle for signatures in the background is ablaze. The supporters of the Finance Minister, who have collected more than 180 signatures, are reacting to Papoutsis’ proposal that the national council should decide by vote. They speak of a clear violation of the statute itself, while executives insist on a vote from the base, despite the risks of the period. “The signatures are a crucial factor to make a candidate clear rather than virtual”, they stated.

Messrs Venizelos and Papandreou came to the hall where the National PASOK Conference will be held a few seconds apart, while it is characteristic that Venizelos and Papoutsis are sitting side by side.

Meanwhile, upon arriving at the Conference, Michalis Chrisohoidis and Yiannis Diamantidis made statements in which they expressed their support for of Evangelos Venizelos as a candidate for the party presidency.

The Conference began with speeches by the Socialist head of the European Parliament Hannes Swoboda and Socialist International Secretary Luis Ayala.

The speeches of the Secretary of the PASOK National Council  Michalis Karhimakis and President of the Movement George Papandreou, will follow.

Then a review of the PASOK government will take place by Deputy Finance Minister Pantelis Economou and there will be a presention of the programmatic positions of the movement ahead of the national elections.

The process will begin on Sunday with the meeting of the National Council and the declaration of candidates.

At the same time the possibility that there is only one candidate in the party elections, and that this will be Evangelos Venizelos, is prevalent.

According to information, any other interested parties will struggle to collect the required 94 signatures. Even in this case, however, the decision of the Political Council is going to be to set up polls in Greece.