Famellos reiterated his party’s longstanding call for a Council of Political Leaders to be convened, with the aim of establishing a clear cross-party position that Greece is not a party to the conflict and that its bases will not be made available for military intervention. He also called for the safe repatriation of all Greek nationals in dangerous areas, and for Greece to actively support the Republic of Cyprus and the United Nations.
The SYRIZA leader recalled that his party had from the outset called for a peaceful resolution to the crisis, grounded in respect for human rights and without military intervention. ‘Mr Mitsotakis did not choose that path,’ he said, adding that the government had rejected any initiative for a diplomatic solution through the UN.
Turning to domestic affairs, Famellos cited what he described as serious unresolved problems in the economy, healthcare and education, compounded by a succession of new scandals. He argued that citizens were seeking a political agreement to remove the government from office, describing this as SYRIZA’s consistent objective over the past year.
Speaking earlier in Omolion, Famellos stressed the importance of the countryside and the primary sector as engines of development, and called for substantive support policies for rural communities. He warned of the risk of rural depopulation and the emergence of what he termed ‘neo-seigniorialism.’
Closing his remarks, he drew a connection between the anniversary of Marinos Antipas and International Women’s Day, and ended with a message of peace: ‘Only with peace do we ensure a just society, prosperity, progress and security.’
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