By Maria Zougra
He was elected Member of Parliament of Evia with the N.D. in the elections of 2004, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2019. He was Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government Representative between 2012 and 2014. In 2021 he was appointed Deputy Minister of Rural Development & Food and today he is claiming the vote of the Euboeans. During a break, during his tour of North Evia, the candidate for Member of Parliament of Evia of the New Democracy, Simos Kedikoglou, answered the questions of Hellenic News of America.
– On May 21, 2023 and with a political slogan “we vote and decide, turn back or move forward”, Kyriakos Mitsotakis asks for the positive vote of the people. According to the opinion polls he will have it, the question is whether an independent government will emerge in the first elections?
“Kyriakos Mitsotakis has described with absolute clarity the stakes of the upcoming elections. He has addressed the citizens with a sense of responsibility and sincerity, documenting his position, that on May 21 the vote cannot be relaxed. On the contrary, it will determine who will rule the country. He has also analyzed the reasons why Greece needs a strong government, with a clear program, in order to maintain its development path and continue to strengthen its position on the international stage. The more conscious and massive the positive vote for New Democracy is, the more painlessly the adventure of simple analogy, in which Alexis Tsipras and Syriza consciously involved us, will be overcome. For the rest, our party has proven over time that it treats with absolute respect the procedures provided for by the Constitution in the event that an independent government does not emerge from the first elections”.
– Is the possibility of a coalition cooperation being considered by New Democracy?
“The firm orientation of Kyriakos Mitsotakis to an election result, either in the first or in the second (if necessary) elections, which will allow the formation of an independent, strong government is not related to a desire to monopolize power, but to the finding that the big issues of the country require elaborate programs, with vision and realism, coupled with effective governance. New Democracy is the only party that can guarantee such a perspective, such a political framework, absolutely necessary to stay on the path of progress, stability and prosperity. Cooperation governments in order to be beneficial for the place presuppose mutual understanding in critical policy areas, substantial programmatic convergences and maturity. In the political scene, as it is shaped today, no such possibility appears. So, any relevant discussion is completely theoretical for the time being.”
– Georgoulis case: Why do you think that the accusations of rape and beating against MEP Alexis Georgoulis were delayed in becoming known to the general public and were made shortly before the elections?
“You are asking me to comment on a case, which is in the hands of the justice system and indeed of a foreign state. Obviously, I won’t. I will only say that, regardless of the merits of the case, which will be decided by the competent judicial authorities, we have once again been given the opportunity to establish the hypocritical, irresponsible and largely immoral bilingualism of Syriza, recalling the behavior and rhetoric them in other similar cases in the past”.
– Could you please comment on the reports of Mr. Yanis Varoufakis about the drachma, closed banks and the “DIMITRA” plan.
“Here words are unnecessary. As Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said, these positions could be considered comical, if they were not dangerous. We are in front of a monument of irresponsibility, in front of an uncharacteristic political attitude whose only motive is to deceive a part of the electorate, which may be inclined to listen to imaginative theories. I feel ashamed for those who switch to such means, hoping for opportunistic electoral gains, undermining citizens’ faith in the institutions and the economy in general”.
– In closing, I would like you to tell me about your candidacy in Evia and your future political plans.
“In the almost two decades that I have represented the citizens of Evia in the Hellenic Parliament, I have consistently and persistently tried to highlight the advantages of our special homeland, but also to provide solutions, both to the big problems of our prefecture, as well as to the “small” ones, but important for the Euboeans everyday issues. My door was and is always open, especially during the great trials that our country has gone through in recent years, due to natural disasters and the consequences of the pandemic. In the context of my parliamentary capacity but also from the position of responsibility entrusted to me by the Prime Minister, as Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food, I did not stop working for an Evia that utilizes its potential, overcomes difficulties and moves forward with determination into tomorrow. I will continue to be present on the front lines. In view of the elections, I march once again armed with my ideas, my work, my love for Evia. Citizens now have a clear picture of the work that was done and continues to be done, at all levels. With their trust and support, I hope I will be able to continue this work, with passion and dedication, for a pioneering Evia that will progress and prosper.”
