The devastating fire in Northeast Attica, which started at noon last Sunday from Varnavas and within 24 hours overtook Palaia and Nea Penteli and from there came to directly threaten the urban fabric in Patima Vrilissio and Chalandrio, shook the citizens’ sense of security and called into question the government’s ability to manage major crises.
The operational capacity of the Ministry of Climate Change and Civil Protection was found to be insufficient, the responsible minister, who throughout the previous period advertised the preparedness, coordination efficiency and timely intervention of the firefighting units, found himself at the center of political criticism. The Prime Minister, who once demanded resignations and now makes excuses, limits the size of the damage, defends preparation and attributes everything to the climate phenomenon and the explosiveness of weather conditions, promising a better and more efficient response, was also examined with him. in the future.
Government corruption and SYRIZA’s transcendence
The great fire, without a doubt, widened the climate of questioning and government corruption that was manifested in the previous European elections at the beginning of the summer, offering tons of opposition material to the parties, especially to SYRIZA, which bears the trauma of the Eye. The shaken at the time president of the Official Opposition party literally took to the streets, questioned the government’s ability to act as a deterrent and even went so far as to leave the Authorities for the number of firefighting aircraft that intervened during the two days of the devastating fire. He seemed to be trying to follow the well-trodden, usual path of denouncing everything and oversimplifying rhetoric that excites party fanatics but adds nothing. It was widely believed that behind the heavy talk was the overcoming of his own self-doubt, within the faltering SYRIZA.
Despite this, the crisis within the party is looming and nothing indicates that it will manage to overcome it. As reported by parliamentary officials, SYRIZA is in a phase of disintegration, many of its members face the possibility of leaving, as they find that the new leadership is unable to create an environment and conditions for recovery, despite its attitude intensifying the atmosphere of dissolution and diminishing of its forces.
The obstacles to entering the Parliament
And Mr. Stefanos Kasselakis who now realizes that the “unmediated” communication with the citizens does not yield the expected results, but, with his disguises, constantly exposes him, claims the parliamentary seat of the resigned Othona Iliopoulos. The MP and his close associate Petros Pappas recently stated that “it is a good opportunity for the elected president of SYRIZA to represent the party in Parliament as well.” However, all the evidence confirms that this claim of his is not going to prosper either. Some of the five runners-up, such as Mr. Ath. Tsakris, who was a candidate with the scheme of Mr. P. Kokkalis in the European elections, he has declared his willingness to give up the right, but the others have either not spoken or refuse to do him any favors. The lady Popi Tsapanidouwho at the end of August will be the first to be called to be appointed, is currently avoiding saying what she will do. Information indicates that the close associate of Mr. Alexis Tsipras, Michalis Kalogirou, he would not stand in the way if the entry of Mr. Kasselakis into the Parliament was judged by him. It remains unknown what the lady will do Jenny Livadarouwhile the lady has been placed negatively Georgetta Laliwhich is now moving in the zone of the New Left and does not seem willing to facilitate the president of SYRIZA.
The Polakis leap for leadership
SYRIZA sources, however, insist that the claim for the parliamentary seat of the resigned Mr. Iliopoulos will appear to be a far cry in front of what Mr. Kasselakis has to face in the early autumn, when he will attempt to proceed with the organization of the constitutional conference. It is widely believed that contestation will intensify at that stage and questions of a change of leadership are likely to be raised. Already in the Parliamentary Group of the party, information and estimates are circulating that include the explosive member of parliament of Chania, Mr. Pavlos Polakis preparing and willing to claim the presidency of the party from Mr. Kasselakis. There was no possibility of cross-checking any intentions of Mr. Polakis, but among the SYRIZA MPs there is a widespread impression that the “apsy”, according to the expression of Alexis Tsipras, MP of Chania, is ready to attempt the leap and be the one to drag the dance of practical questioning of Mr. Kasselakis.
The truth is that Mr. Polakis takes his removal from the SYRIZA Parliamentary Group seriously and never accepted it, stating that “only the people remove” and even that “we will say everything at the conference”. In addition, one must point out that his oppositional mood has strengthened since then and his strong reaction to the great disaster in Northeast Attica is characteristic of this. The Cretan member of parliament was absolutely critical, he surpassed Mr. Kasselakis in intensity, he attributed enormous responsibility to those who spoke of an “armoured State”, but also “for the adequacy of means, ground and air” as well as “for assigning tens of millions of euros to the Aegis program “, at the same time complaining that projects and supplies of aircraft, helicopters, crawler vehicles and others, which had been announced two and three times after the fires of Evia in 2021, are still under evaluation.
The expectations for Alexis Tsipras
Be that as it may, the prevailing conditions of disintegration in SYRIZA remain dynamic and the communication moves of Mr. Kasselakis, such as helping to prepare food for fire victims last Wednesday, are not enough to overcome the ongoing crisis that torments the once powerful party of the Left who ruled the country for five years. Many, however, are looking to Alexis Tsipras, whose recovery project comes and returns more and more often to the news, but currently remains distant and depends not only on any developments in SYRIZA, but also on the outcome of the upcoming election process in the PASOK and the conditions it will shape in the broader space of the Center-Left. Needless to say, Mr. Tsipras does not aspire to return to the central political stage as head of SYRIZA, with which he has long since broken emotional ties. His entire effort, to the extent that it will evolve, will concern the creation of a new scheme, capable of representing the political and social forces beyond the New Democracy.
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