“As many of you as you want to believe that the Political Secretariat and the Central Committee, which met a few times after September and for a few hours, are responsible for the party’s poor course, believe it.
As many as you want to get past the ramifications of public statements about dead liquor and a sick opposition officer, get past them.
As many as you want to believe that our public image was not undermined by the announcements that Stefanos Kasselakis was proposed to become Mitsotakis’ minister or that the party borrowed money from the President and even through a foreign company, believe it…”.
This placement of his Yannis Ragousis elicited initial boos from the Tae Kwon Do indoor Congressmen, while others applauded.
With the intervention of the bureau, the tension subsided and the member of the Political Secretariat continued his speech.
In the end, there were quite a few who congratulated him, while others – obviously supporters of Stefanos Kasselakis – were clearly annoyed…
The entire speech of Yannis Ragousis:
Beloved companions and beloved companions.
First of all, regarding the fact that we are now going to new elections for the President and Central Committee, I have spoken my opinion publicly, recently and at an unsuspected internal party time.
Therefore, I said and spoke and I have no sin and may I be wrong.
Comrades and comrades.
I believe deeply in the principles and values of the left.
That is, I believe deeply in the values of freedom, equality, justice, solidarity, humanity, the noblest values that human civilization has created throughout its history.
At the same time, I deeply believe that the idea of turning to a New and Great Center Left is the only path that can lead us back to a majority and governing SYRIZA PS.
I deeply believe that the fundamental upheavals that the country needs can be made and, above all, they can be consolidated only if they are supported by large social currents.
And such a large and majority current in Greek society is the current of the Center-Left.
A large majority of progressive voters define themselves as center-left.
I deeply believe that Greek society is in vital need of the strength and momentum of the left-center-left strategic alliance, the only large social progressive majority that can lead it to the next Greece, as well as cut it off from the dark side of the post-colonialism that is reviving every day by the ND government.
Dear comrades and dear comrades.
It was obvious to me from the first moment that with the President’s letter to the Political Secretariat, a premature blame game started, a premature attempt to shift responsibility, in view of the European elections.
This attempt to shift responsibility unfortunately culminated with yesterday’s opening speech by S. Kasselakis.
And the worst thing about trying to shift blame is that it seeks to mask the real causes of the problem, so that they are not neutralized.
And I’m talking about trying to shift responsibilities, because we have to be honest comrades and comrades.
The moments are very critical.
The upcoming European elections are of existential importance for SYRIZA PS as the official opposition and as a party of power.
These European elections will be a quasi-first round of national elections corresponding to the first round of municipal elections.
Given the new electoral law of enhanced proportionality, the first two of the European elections will de facto – as long as the 2nd has a clear lead – the two main political protagonists on the way to the national elections of 2027.
In this sense, indeed the next 3 months will judge the next 3 years, especially for SYRIZA PS which must at all costs keep the 2nd place.
Therefore, comrades and comrades, after we put ourselves in the most official way in the unprecedented regime of preventive management of a discounted defeat, the verdict belongs to you and the tens of thousands of members and friends of SYRIZA PS.
Obviously, we will absolutely respect her.
As many of you as want to turn a blind eye to the – many – tragic communication and political mistakes that were made, in the absence of the party’s organs, after September, close them.
As many of you as you want to believe that the Political Secretariat and the KE are responsible for the party’s poor progress, which met a few times after September and for a few hours, believe it.
As many as you want to get past the ramifications of public statements about dead liquor and a sick opposition officer, get past them.
As many as you want to believe that our public image was not undermined by the announcements that Stefanos Kasselakis was proposed to become Mitsotakis’ minister or that the party borrowed from the President and even through a foreign company, believe it.
For all of you who want to applaud the fact that 34 of our 36 MPs, ultimately unprotected, albeit at great personal political cost, stood firm on our principles and voted in favor of the Marriage Equality Act, applaud it.
Finally, as many as you want now and in continuation of the split, to target and slander those who took on their backs the opposition inside and outside the Parliament in the previous 4 years alongside Alexis Tsipras, do it.
Dear comrades and dear comrades.
I have warned since the KE of December that we are sailing full speed ahead towards the iceberg of the European elections.
Some even because they liked this metaphor, compared us to the Titanic.
They were wrong.
Because the Titanic had the advantage of not seeing the iceberg.
We see it.
Months now.
And since I own the copyright of 50% of this particular dilemma,
Today, based on all the above, I want to tell you very simply and very clearly, comrades and comrades:
we either change or sink.
Thank you.
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