Samaras: I will seek the formation of a long-term government

The need to form a government immediately was stated by the President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias who received the winner of the elections, Mr. Antonis Samaras, in order to assign him the exploratory mandate.

After welcoming Mr. Samaras, Mr. Papoulias stated: “I want to emphasize the need to form a government. The country cannot remain an hour without a government. This is what the Greek people ask for. Things are critical and I wish you success. I am sure that national interest and duty will prevail”.

On his part, Mr. Samaras said: “I will immediately seek to form a government of national salvation with the parties that believe in the European orientation and believe that the country must adhere to its commitments and there must be changes in economic policy made. I believe that the government must be decisive on the matter of social cohesion and security. The national agreement is mandated. I will begin by meeting with leaders and try to form a government today”.

Mr. Samaras will attempt to close the issue of government formation today. In his first statements yesterday he said that “the country should be ruled and government and the need is to form a government as soon as possible”.

The president of ND placed his political context and identified the targets, stating that “the country should stay in the euro”, while he added that “we will work with our European counterparts, to add to our obligations, the necessary policies for growth and combatting unemployment”. He called on all forces that agree on these aims to partake in the formation of a “national salvation government”. In Mr. Samaras’ first statement he did not include the word “renegotiation” or “modification” of the Memorandum, while he stated that he will “Stay true to his signature” so that European counterparts are not worried. When the results were being cleared up yesterday, Mr. Samaras was called by Mrs. Angela Merkel, Mr. Barroso and Mr. Martens who pointed out to him that Greece must honor its commitments.

Yesterday he spoke with Alexis Tsipras, who congratulated him and said that "we must form a government" but without SYRIZA who will be the opposition. When asked if Tsipras will be the opposition, Samaras said "obviously" implying that the first discussion did not include the second party’s participation in government. He also had brief discussions with Vangelis Venizelos and Fotis Kouvelis who, as ND members say, "is closer to his goals of staying in the euro and complementing the economic policy with measures for growth." Samaras will seek meetings within the exploratory mandate with all other political leaders except Nikos Michaloliakos of Golden Dawn.

With Mr. Venizelos and Mr. Kouvelis he will enter a substantive discussion on the government scheme and persons who will staff it.
At 14:00 Mr. Samaras met with Alexis Tsipras, while he will meet with Evangelos Venizelos at 18:00 and Mr. Kammenos at 19:00.

The debate on a government scheme has been opened.

Mr. Samaras’ intention is not simply getting the government vote of confidence from the House from these two parties but to have people from these parties in the government. It is almost certain that Mr. Samaras will want to keep for his own, the ministries of Finance, Foreign Affairs and Defense and already the names of Messrs Stavros Dimas and Dimitris Avramopoulos are in view. In the Finance Ministry in places of vice ministers the other parties will be represented. He will proceed to reforming the Marine and Tourism ministries as he has pledged in the past. The names of government positions are Kostis Hatzidakis, Kiriakos Mitsotakis – if his sister Dora Bakoyannis is not in the government – Christos Staikouras and Notis Mitarakis, Vangelis Meimarakis and Euripides Stilianides.
Also participating are extra-parliamentary entities and persons from the wider left so that the government has the widest possible social support besides the parliamentary  majority. In the extra-parliamentary people rumoured to participate are Alexandros Tourkolias. Mr. Tourkolias is the Deputy CEO of the NBG and a personal friend to Mr. Samaras. Mr. Tourkolias knows the shipping world well and will possibly assume the ministry itself in order to rebuild it. He is not unlikely to receive the Finance Ministry.

From the field of PASOK, persons listed to participate in the government are expected to be Mr. Andreas Loverdos and Mr. Michalis Chrisohoides, for which there is no objection from ND.