SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Stefanos Kasselakis charged ruling New Democracy and the prime minister of making a public issue out of his source of income ('pothen esches'), yet not disclosing their party's debt situation, in an interview on ANT1 on Tuesday.
Kasselakis noted, "It is not possible that the party with the highest debt in Europe carries out this campaign. I have worked for it, I have succeeded and created wealth. When the platform for the source of income opens, I will also present the document backup for my assets. My pothen esches has been turned into an issue by the government and by media that serve the government. We have no political or economic influence in the media."
The main opposition leader queried why after so many decades Greece has still not suceeded in its convergence with the European Union. "Why did we go bankrupt? The answer is that we have a problem with the credibility of the political system; Greeks cannot expect something to change in the country if they have become immune to issues of transparency and credibility of the political system."
Asked if he acknowledged that he had committed felonies by not withdrawing in a timely manner from companies based abroad, Kasselakis responded, "There was an irregularity, because I was an expatriate," he noted, adding, "I am proud I had the courage to admit it was an irregularity, but this did not affect anyone in Greece, there was nothing wrong with it. In what way does this help a Greek citizen?"
Criticizing the prime minister, the SYRIZA leader said that the latter had not filed a source of income declaration for two years, and said the platform should have been open by now for filing.
Among other issues, Kasselakis said he supported NATO, but because it was a defense alliance, he disagreed with sending armaments to Ukraine; instead, the US should send them itself. He also said that the situation in the region - Turkiye, North Macedonia, Albania - "is not ideal and the national policy the government is implementing is not a proud one." He also charged the prime minister with "tolerating such a challenge to national interests" by Turkiye, including drilling south of Crete.
The SYRIZA leader also clarified that regardless of the European election results, he will lead the party to the next national elections as a candidate prime minister.