Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-10-21

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK leadership contenders tour Greece

[01] PASOK leadership contenders tour Greece

On his part, rival leadership candidate Evangelos Venizelos gave a speech in Agrinio, western Greece, on Sunday.

Elections for the PASOK leadership will be held on Nov. 11.

"The dilemma is not whether PASOK will be united or split, as the answer to this has been given since the 1980s; the question is whether we proceed with yesterday's PASOK or towards a PASOK of tomorrow. We all want a great, strong, victorious PASOK," the Thessaloniki-area deputy said.

In Larissa, Papandreou said that what is necessary is a "PASOK of change, a PASOK of democracy and of the socialist centre-left."

Speaking in his first address away from Athens ahead of the elections, Papandreou insisted on an "autonomy of politics", terming it a precondition for overcoming the crisis currently being experienced by the political system. He further said that the enemies of autonomy are not only the vested interests, but those serving them as well.

"The way with which the big publishing interests became involved in our internal procedures confirms the need for democratic and social control of the media," he said.

Papandreou also said he was never a supporter of exclusions, separations or expulsions and will not allow the unfair expulsion of comrades, but he will also not allow the expulsion of ideas either.

The PASOK leader went on to criticise ruling New Democracy party, saying that what his party had been saying before the elections is now being confirmed by government policy.

In Agrinio, Venizelos charged that PASOK "was obliged and could have won the general elections with an adversary, the worst government after the fall of the dictatorship."

He added: "However, we are all sending a strong message to our only opponent which is the Right, conservatism, (Prime Minister Costas) Mr. Karamanlis and the government."

Finally, former party secretary and long-time PASOK cadre Costas Skandalidis spoke in Rethymno, Crete, on Sunday, noting that "I insist on my lonely path and course in to speak politically, to propose, to try to open roads for the following day."

"Division and polarisation must not reach the rank and file of the movement (i.e. PASOK)," he said, adding that "the rank and file must not be trapped in the trenches but trust a PASOK of the future, a PASOK of victory."

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