Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis appeared confidant on Saturday evening that his center-right party will win the next general election, pledging to abolish the current leftist-rightist coalition government’s last social security reform, a sub-minimum monthly wage scale and remaining capital controls.
On Sunday, Mitsotakis gave a press conference to reporters, also in Thessaloniki, a week after Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras appeared at the same venue.
Additionally, in driving home his party’s emphasis on “law and order” issues and its sharp criticism against the Tsipras government as “soft on crime”, he said another controversial law allowing the early release of inmates – including felons convicted of violent crimes – ostensibly to reduce prison overcrowding, will also be quickly abrogated.
“Greeks do not want appointments (for state jobs), nor welfare benefits, they want opportunities… Greeks that wake up early and work hard are the ones that keep Greece standing,” he said.
Besides unveiling a new slogan, with sights set on next year’s general election, namely, the Obama-esque “Boroume” (Greek for “we can”), he referred to a new “contract of trust” with citizens.
“Greece remains at a crucial crossroads. The risk for our country has not passed, as long as we do not borrow from the markets, its place will be extremely tenuous,” he noted, in an address at the 83rd Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF).
