On the economic consequences of the war in the Middle East, Tsoukalas said that ‘there must be preparation for many eventualities’, warning that ‘the consequences for tourism, cruises, punctuality and costs can be very significant’, and noting that Greece already faces high energy prices and that approximately two in ten consumers account for 50% of total demand.
On energy, Tsoukalas recalled that PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis had raised the issue directly with the prime minister just a week earlier, posing three questions the government had failed to answer: whether it had used its stake in the Public Power Corporation (ΔΕΗ) to keep prices down; whether it had taken steps to establish better storage connections and prevent the wasteful discarding of renewable energy; and why it had excluded farmers and local authorities from the energy and electricity sector. ‘Prices have taken off’, Tsoukalas said, and on each count, ‘it has not done anything.’
Asked about PASOK’s position on EU involvement in the US-Israeli intervention in Iran, Tsoukalas was unambiguous: ‘We have said that the country should not have any involvement in the war and that our bases should not be used.’ He noted that this position is shared by the European Socialists and by the Spanish prime minister.
Responding to remarks made on the same panel by New Democracy’s Makis Petsas, who accused PASOK of collusion with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over his government’s defence cooperation with Turkey, Tsoukalas pushed back sharply. ‘If a political figure has raised in Europe the issue of not selling weapons to Turkey, it is Nikos Androulakis,’ he said. ‘The prime minister has never raised such an issue.’ He added that Mitsotakis had recently met with Sánchez without raising the matter, and noted that several other EU countries also sell weapons to Turkey. ‘Let’s not confuse this issue with the question of the position on the war in Iran and the issue of supporting Greek Cypriots,’ he said.
On Cyprus, Tsoukalas argued that PASOK was the first party to call for Greek engagement, contrasting this with New Democracy’s historically dismissive attitude, alluding to the phrase ‘Cyprus lies far away.’ He reiterated that Cyprus joined the European Union under PASOK, which now allows Greece to invoke a unified defence doctrine and draw on the support of partner countries. ‘Obviously, the intervention of Israel and the US in Iran has no legitimising basis,’ he said.
Marking International Women’s Day, Tsoukalas acknowledged progress while stressing that much remains to be done, particularly in the areas of work and wages. He credited PASOK with having introduced key labour legislation, but conceded: ‘We still have a long way to go.’
______________________________________________
Are you seeking news from Greece presented from a progressive, non-mainstream perspective? Subscribe monthly or annually to support TPP International in delivering independent reporting in English. Don’t let Greek progressive voices fade.
Make sure to reference “TPP International” and your order number as the reason for payment.