Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-01-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] Election result a 'heavy defeat' for PASOK, Venizelos says

[01] Election result a 'heavy defeat' for PASOK, Venizelos says

He blamed the electoral law for PASOK's small parliamentary group and lashed out at former prime minister and party leader George Papandreou for his unprecedented and miserable actions.

He wished the country all the best but added that if things get worse, PASOK could not be held accountable for this as it had already warned of the risks.

He also said PASOK and the Democratic Bloc will hold a congress in May, without setting a specific date for this. He said the first priority is the party's parliamentary work, its organized presence and rhetoric in the vote of confidence debate, the close monitoring of the negotiation and the purely institutional stance in the new Greek President's election.

He said time was running out, that rating houses have already downgraded the country, public revenues were lagging and that all major reforms were revoked or questioned. He commented that the new government obviously does not have, at least for now, a clear strategy and sends out contradictory messages.

"The worst thing is there is a feeling in the country that we went back to 2009," he said and wondered which way the so-called bridge programme the government spoke of would lead to.

In his rejoinder at the meeting, Venizelos said that he will remain in the party's leadership until the congress, which he said would be held after the Easter holidays in May, "so as to ensure that a political congress will be held that will determine the party's hallmark and strategy".

According to sources in PASOK, procedures to elect a new leadership will be held after the congress. They also reported a good climate during the lengthy meeting and agreement with the framework outlined by Venizelos. Leading up to PASOK's congress, Venizelos has asked members of the party to compile a report on the party's general condition and a study to evaluate the election results, combined with exit polls and opinion poll findings.

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