“What’s all the fuss?” was former prime minister George Papandreou’s stance when he appeared at a book launch for a member of the Democratic Left (DIMAR) who had left his PASOK Socialists.
Papandreou, the former head of PASOK, had been criticized by some in the party for deciding to appear with DIMAR head Fotis Kouvelis at the presentation of a book written by Marilena Koppa.
DIMAR had been a member of the coalition government of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, the New Democracy leader, which includes PASOK, which is now led by Evangelos Venizelos.
“I didn’t expect this discussion to create such expectancy and disquiet,” Papandreou said. “Maybe it is a sign of the times.”
“I have taken a lot of unconventional decisions in my time, maybe because I often think and act unconventionally,” he added. “But I never expected the presentation of a book about social democracy to be considered unconventional.”
DIMAR refused an invitation to join the Olive Tree alliance that PASOK will run with for the May 25 vote. The Socialists, disappearing in the polls, attached themselves to the new political movement in a desperate bid to stay alive politically.
Koppa recently quit PASOK to join DIMAR and Papandreou’s decision to attend the event, alongside Kouvelis, sparked wild speculations and disapproving comments from PASOK officials.
“I cannot comment; after all, what can I say?” Venizelos said.
“Mr. Papandreou is doing PASOK a lot of harm,” Socialist MP Michalis Kassis told Mega TV. Another PASOK MP, Deputy Labor Minister Leonidas Grigorakos, said it was wrong of Papandreou to be at Koppa’s book launch as she had been his personal choice to represent PASOK at the European Parliament.
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