Alexis Tsipras’ open wounds

Alexis Tsipras’s strategy of trying to stop the penetration and dominance of K. Mitsotakis in the centrist space, through protest eruptions, has an obvious paradox. High tones, insults, complaining frenzy, a tactic the center hates. Although some parts of the center are leaning towards NT, they will not choose Syriza much because A. Tsipras’ phrases and tactics are strongly reminiscent of the 2011-2014 period.

This will not help him before the elections, on the one hand the reasons explained many times in the opinion polls, and on the other hand, the debate in the parliament recalled cases from memory that never existed. replied. When you appear accusatory, when you are open to a series of problems that you don’t give a single answer to, you are sure to find them right in front of you.

There are not a few key points, there are not instances where public opinion is raising questions in some areas, and the silence on this to date, even in Parliament, is worrying. These are issues related to democracy and the rule of law, the relationship with authoritarian regimes and the perception of control of institutions, the transparency and ethics of politics.

The wounds of the party that I think will emerge in the context of the pre-election contest are not insignificant. From the bags of money that went to Syriza offices from Christos Kalokritsa, according to his secretary’s complaints, to the role of Cypriot lawyer Artemis Artemiou, in conjunction with the whole effort to close Syriza channel channels and control the broadcasting landscape. , Koumunduro’s ties to Venezuela and the Maduro regime and, of course, the role of party officials in dragging the country over “Dead Maria.”

“If you can, assure the Greek Parliament that Syriza has never received any funding from Venezuela. Can you?” asked the Prime Minister. “We are Mr. Tsipras,” he added, adding, “We are in Europe, without question marks, without asterisks and footnotes. The question is whether you live with Maduro. These questions will be answered soon.”

The SMS submitted to the Special Court on behalf of Kalogritsa with Artemis Artemio (known as A2), a proposed partner in the “Syriza channel”, a Cypriot lawyer and a fellow traveler of Nicos Pappas in Venezuela, brings to the fore the network of persons in the sequence of events we left behind after the 2019 elections.

In practice, al. Tsipras, through a motion of no confidence and a three-day debate in parliament, gave the government exactly what it wanted to highlight the above issues. That is, recalling the role of Artemios, who is known for the cases related to his relations with Maximos during Venezuela, Manolis Betsidis and Syriza. His name has been mentioned for the first time in the TV license tender case.

Let’s recall the facts. In March 2013, Alexis Tsipras went to attend the funeral of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Chávez, president of Syriza in those days, noted that he was “the instigator of the ideas of democracy and great revolutionary democratic and progressive victories”. In Venezuela, Tsipras was welcomed by the country’s next president, Nicolás Maduro. In 2014, Amnesty International blamed the torture of protesters (electric shocks, suffocation with plastic bags) for 43 deaths in clashes with elements of the order.

Based on what is known from the publications, undeniably, in August 2013, Artemis Artemio, associated with the Panama Papers offshore, traveled with Nicos Pappas, director of the political office of Alexis Tsipras in Venezuela. The trip was reportedly made on the jet of Mahed Khalil, one of the Maduro regime’s most prominent businessmen.

In 2016, when it became known that Artemio Maximos had visited the palace while Tsipras was prime minister, there was an investigation into, firstly, whether the Syriza leader could visit Venezuela, and secondly, about “buying things”. Pappas commented. Agricultural products from state-owned supermarkets in Venezuela were examined. However, publications such as “Free Press” revealed in 2017 that Tsipras, in his contacts with the Maduro regime in 2013, was exploring the possibility of providing oil if Greece leaves the euro. He also explored the possibility of the Venezuelan president himself mediating with China and Russia to support the Syriza leader ahead of his upcoming election victory.

I am mentioning these points because it is widely believed that all these will be raised before the elections. With comparisons of the programs, al. Tsipras will not be limited to accusations, especially if there is evidence. A. Tsipras must be able to provide answers, otherwise he risks experiencing a reversal of roles and going from being the accused to the accused and not to the prosecution. We know this from football. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​a has to takes care of your defense when you are constantly attacking in every way. If it’s open, you’re at risk.

* Zacharias Jubis is director of polling research