Greece's political forces had to work together in order to successfully bring the country out of the crisis, government spokesman Yiorgos Petalotis stressed on Tuesday. He also strongly criticised main opposition New Democracy and left-wing SYRIZA for supposedly "investing" in violent expressions of discontent with the government.
"It has to be understood that no crisis can be overcome unless there is a high degree of unanimity and cooperation," Petalotis stressed, adding that the government's policies for exiting the crisis were now at a "crucial turning point".
The spokesman noted that the government extended an invitation to all political forces, from the right to the left, "so that we can reach an understanding on specific issues in order to emerge from the crisis, with each side holding fast to their ideological and political approach".
Asked to comment on the jeers that greeted members of the government but also Prime Minister George Papandreou during a recent visit to Berlin, Petalotis replied that the government will not allow anyone to take advantage of such discontent or difference of opinion with the government in order to incite situations of "disintegration and chaos".
The spokesman urged ND to take a position on such actions, noting that several of the party's high-ranking officials had often publicly incited and encouraged people to take the law into their own hands and had "resorted to uncontrolled populism" in "various and specific actions".
Asked when Greece might expect to emerge from the crisis, Petalotis stressed that there could be no guarantees about the timing but appeared confident that this would be in the near future, provided that Greece made the necessary effort with the required sense of responsibility.
"As long as we meet our targets then we are in no danger," he stressed.
source: ANA-MPA