Meeting of N. Androulakis in Lisbon with Costa and the look at Al. Tsipras

By Haris Ioannou

The President of PASOK – Movement for Change, Nikos Androulakis, is in Lisbon today for a meeting with multiple messages and political symbolism.

At 9:30 a.m. local time he will meet with Portuguese Prime Minister and leader of the Portuguese Socialist Party Antonio Costa. Mr Androulakis becomes the first Social Democrat party leader to visit Lisbon just 24 hours before the inauguration of Antonio Costa and the continuation of his presence at the helm of the Iberian country.

As they say from Charilaou Trikoupi, Nikos Androulakis not only aims to show who represents the voice of social democracy in Greece, but primarily to highlight the program proposal that PASOK is already unfolding for the economy, the energy crisis, the utilization of the Fund’s resources. Recovery and social housing program, as Portugal has drawn up a plan to build 26,000 socially rented housing for young couples to meet the ever-increasing cost of housing.

The two socialist leaders will also discuss the need for a common European response to the energy crisis, the war in Ukraine and the new Common Foreign and Security Policy strategy that the European Union should have.

The look at Tsipras

With the suit of the Eurosocialist in his luggage, the president of PASOK is trying to utilize his network of contacts from the European Parliament, in an effort to restore -apart from the domestic- and the international image of the Movement.

After all, in recent years PASOK has acquired an informal competitor in this field, as Alexis Tsipras (SYRIZA) is attending the meetings of the Eurosocialists, while seeking to appear as part of the “progressive forces” in Europe.

It is recalled that after the elections in Portugal, Alexis Tsipras celebrated the re-election of Costa at the end of January, at a time when “SYRIZA Portugal” (Bloc) lost by state. Koumoundourou had then issued two separate announcements for the congratulations and the Tsipras-Costa phone call, trying to enter the “political frame” of the winner.

The Socialists co-ruled with the two smaller parties of the Left (Bloc and Communist-Green Alliance), which left the government in December disagreeing with the budget. The result was that they were electorally overthrown and the Socialists were re-elected on their own.

Who will Androulakis see and who will accompany him

During the contacts, Nikos Androulakis and the delegation of PASOK-Movement for Change will meet with high-ranking officials in the Socialist Party of Portugal and Ministers, such as the Secretary of International Relations, Jamila Madeira, the Deputy Foreign Minister in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. o Minister for Planning Nelson de Sousa, responsible for economic and social development strategy, taking into account the Convergence and Cohesion Objectives, Minister for Economy and Digital Transition Pedro Siza Vieira and Minister for Infrastructure and Housing Pedro Nuno Santos.

Mr. Androulakis will be accompanied by Nikos Christodoulakis, former Minister of Economy and head of the “In Social” institute, Haris Doukas, associate professor at NTUA and Secretary of Energy of PASOK-Movement for Change, George Karamanolis, Head of PASOK, and Nikolas Papazoglou, associate of the president for European policy issues.

SOURCE: Thetoc.gr