Main Greek Opposition leader Antonis Samaras talked about the financial crisis in Greece and the measures New Democracy is proposing to address the crisis in the Greek economy in Yiannina.
At the start of his speech Mr Samaras said that the presence of the two Turkish research boats in the Aegean was not coincidental.
“It would be useful for Mr Papandreou to return back to Greece and to call meetings of Parliament’s Foreign Policy and Defence and External Relations committees.”
Mr Samaras also expressed his satisfaction with how New Democracy has proceeded in Parliament as the major Opposition party over the last six months.
The New Democracy leader said that the party had voted for 20 of the 44 pieces of legislation that had been passed by Parliament and claimed that this signalled its placing the ‘national interest’ before its narrow party political interest.
Mr Samaras also addressed the measures New Democracy has proposed to address Greece’s current economic crisis and expressed his certainty that they would cause ‘less pain’ to Greek citizens if the measures were to be implemented by the Papandreou government.
Samaras explained that he opposed the memorandum with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund but was quick to say, “We never would say that our proposals are without sacrifice. However our proposals would require less sacrifices than those of PASOK. Our proposals would require less sacrifices and would lead to better results in less time. We are proposing sacrifices which the economy and society can bear and not sacrificies without hope.”