The unity of New Democracy is on the rocks after Sunday’s failure to hold the election for party leadership due to a technical problem. Transitional president Vangelis Meimarakis said he is willing to give up his seat if the other candidates give up their seats as parliamentary party representatives as well.
Meimarakis spoke to the press on Monday morning saying that the other candidates turned a technical problem into a political problem. He said that the positions of his three opponents damage party unity and public image.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Apostolos Tzitzikostas asked for Meimarakis’ resignation and his replacement with MP Marietta Giannakou. They accused Meimarakis of not taking a position in Sunday’s fiasco.
To these comments, the transitional ND chief replied that his silence was the loudest answer he could give to such comments. He said that his lack of comments was an expression of sadness and a silent apology to New Democracy voters.
Regarding his proposed replacement, he said he is willing to step down only if Adonis Georgiadis amd Mitsotakis give up their seats as parliamentary representatives of New Democracy. He also asked for the resignation of Tzitzikostas as Regional Governor of Central Macedonia.
Meimarakis further said that the other candidates should realize that “we are all on the same boat” and criticized them for using the technical problem as an excuse to launch an attack against him, despite the fact that he had absolutely nothing to do with the technicalities of the electoral process.
The transitional party chief said that all candidates knew the company that had undertaken the technical aspect of the electoral process and now they ask for his resignation when in fact the responsibility falls on the president of the party electoral committee.
Georgiadis announced that he is resigning from his position as parliamentary representative and asked for Tzitzikostas to resign as well. The candidate said that Tzitzikostas is taking advantage of his position as regional governor to influence mayors and win votes.
Following Georgiadis’ resignation, Mitsotakis resigned as well from his position of parliamentary party representative. At the same time he said that the responsibility for the electoral procedure falls on the party president alone, citing party regulations.
Meanwhile, 16 New Democracy MPs asked for an emergency meeting of the party’s Central Committee.
According to reports, party secretary and head of the central electoral committee Andreas Papamimikos will submit his resignation.
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