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Antenna News in English 240996Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.grNews in English, of 24/09/1996TITLES
SIMITISWhen it became clear Sunday night that he had won the popular mandate he'd been seeking when he called for early elections, prime minister Kostas Simitis said Greek voters had sent a clear message."The people", he said in his victory address, "have shown they want a new course charted for Greece and for society". A new course has been Mr Simitis's battle cry since he differed with the late Andreas Papandreou when he was still at the head of the last Pasok government. Mr Simitis often complained that the Papandreou government was ineffective because all power was concentrated in a few hands. Under his leadership, the watchword has been inclusion: inclusion of all leading Pasok members in the business of government. Mr Simitis called Pasok's triumph Sunday a victory of the people. He said, "It's a victory for everyone who wants to see Greece a winner, in partnership with other nations; for everyone who wants to see Greece unyielding when it comes to defending its sovereign rights; for everyone who wants Greece to have a strong voice on the international stage. Mr Simitis also talked about his domestic chores. He said Pasok will work to build a sense of solidarity among citizens, to improve people's quality of life, and improve the competitiveness of the Greek economy. In a gesture of unity, Mr Simitis said Pasok will work with all Greeks to make sure that the voters get what they want. The responsibility is great, he added. Pasok will devote all its energies to make Greece strong as it heads into the 21st century. For Pasok supporters, it was a night of celebration in the streets around the nation, though the street parties and horn-tooting were low-key compared to previous election triumphs. Sunday's election triumph was Pasok's fourth in 15 years. Since 1981, Pasok has spent just four years as an opposition party. For Mr Simitis, Sunday's triumph caps a string of successes. In January, Pasok MPs elected him to replace the then-ailing Andreas Papandreou as prime minister. And in June, the party congress elected him party leader. PASOKKostas Simitis got the official go ahead from the president to form a new government Monday.He is expected to announce his new cabinet Tuesday. After meeting with presient Kostis Stephanopoulos, Kostas Simitis said he had gone through the formality of handing in the resignation of his old government, and been given permission to form a new one. RESULTS/CARDPasok may hold the majority of seats in the new parliament, but four other parties have also won seats. Kostas Simitis applauded that, calling the new parliament a "pluralist" forum for broad social dialogue.Checking the results of Sunday's balloting, as you can see, Pasok and New Democracy won 270 of the 300 seats. Dimitris Tsovolas's newly-formed Democratic Movement, or Diki, did well in its first electoral showing. The left-wing Pasok breakaway party picked up 9 seats with around 4 and a half per cent of the vote total. The communist party will be occupying 11 seats in the new parliament. And the Left Coalition, or Synaspismos is back in parliament after being shut out in the 1993 election. The Coalition picked up 10 seats. There's bad news for Political Spring, led by New Democracy defector Antonis Samaras. Spring won a number of seats in the 1993 election. But this timeSamaras's party fell just shy of the 3 per cent minimum needed to win a parliamentary seat. EVERTSunday's result is a likely harbinger of change at the top of New Democracy. Its leader, Miltiades Evert, who took over at the helm when the party lost the 1993 election, announced his resignation after Sunday night's defeat.Publicly congratulating Kostas Simitis on his electoral triumph, Miltiades Evert said he was accepting responsibility for outcome of the election, and stepping down. Evert's decision does not mean he will not try to be re-elected party leader, but sources close to him say that is extremely unlikely. REACTION / NOMINEESAfter Miltiades Evert handed him his resignation, Stavros Dimas, New Democrcacy's parliamentary group leader, said the main opposition party is built on solid foundations."We didn't succeed in getting elected", said Dimas, "but New Democracy is well-organised and cohesive, and will play its opposition role well once again". The question is: who should head the party in opposition? Apostolos Andreoulakos is one of several New Democracy MPs who say Evert should be kept on at the helm. He says he's upset over the loss, but opposes constant party leadership changes. Other members would like to fill the vacancy themselves. Stefanos Manos, a former economy minister who says privatisation of state industry is a key to turning the economy around, announced his candidacy Sunday. On Monday, it was Dora Bakoyianni's turn. The daughter of former prime minister Constantinos Mitsotakis told the press, "The election result has brought New Democracy face to face with its responsibilities before its supporters and the Greek people as a whole". Calling Evert's resignation decision honourable, Bakoyianni said what the party needs now is to make its political views and its policies clearer to the people. During Evert's leadership, Bakoyianni often complained that the party lacked that clarity. Preserving the unity and serving the future prospects of the party are a priority, said Bakoyianni, adding that she believes she can do both. SPRING/KKE/SYN/DIKKIThe smaller parties are all pleased with the outcome of the balloting, with the exception of Political Spring.As we heard earlier, Spring was left out of parliament. Spring leader Antonis Samaras thanked his supporters, and added that he respects the voters' verdict. But he also warned, "the country is entering new rounds of retreats over national security issues, and new rounds of economic austerity". His party will continue to defend the interests of the Greek people outside parliament, he said. Celebrating her party's third-place finish, the communist party's Aleka Papariga said Sunday's balloting was a blow to the two large parties. Left Coalition leader Nikos Constantopoulos thanked the voters for putting his party back in parliament. He promised to repay them for their support. Democratic Movement leader Dimitris Tsovolas also thanked those who voted for his new party. He promised that his party will use parliament as a platform to fight for progress. REACTIONThe word in Washington is that Kostas Simitis's election is a good thing. American officials have already been impressed by what they call Mr Simitis's mature handling of the volatile Greek-Turkish relations during crises in the Aegean and Cyprus. Based on that track record, they feel he's the right person for the top job.President of the German social democratic party, Oscar Lafontaine sent a warm telegram of congratulations to Mr Simitis. And former French culture minister Jacques Langue congratulated his quote "friend, prime minister Kostas Simitis" unquote. Cypriot political leaders all welcomed the Simitis victory, and underscored the need to keep the bonds of coooperation between Greece and Cyprus stron. A number of foreign news networks commented on the Simitis victory. CNN called Simitis a "low-key socialist leader". It also noted that Sunday's election marks Pasok's first electoral triumph since the departure of the late Andreas Papandreou from its helm. Reuters and the Associated Press said that Mr Simitis had headed off a strong challenge from the conservative New Democracy. In Great Britain, leading daily papers reported that the Simitis victory has done just what Mr Simitis wanted it to: given Pasok the green light to tackle the country's problems in the way it sees fit. Two papers, the Independent and the Guardian said that improving Greek-Turkish relations and promoting Greece's diplomatic and economic role in the Balkans will be a priority for the new Simitis cabinet. German president of the Social-democratic party, Oscar Lafontaine, sent Simitis a warm congratulations telegram. © ANT1-Radio 1996Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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