In a sharp and unusually personal intervention, Deputy Finance Minister Dimitris Markopoulos issued a direct appeal to former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras — not against Samaras himself, but against those advising him to launch a new political party. Speaking on ERT News, Markopoulos urged Samaras to reconsider, warning that such a move would tarnish his legacy and damage the historical trajectory of a leader who played a pivotal role in keeping Greece in the eurozone during its most turbulent years.
A Call Rooted in Respect — and Concern
Markopoulos began by expressing deep admiration for Samaras, calling him “a major figure not only in Greek politics but in my own life.” He praised Samaras’s tenure as prime minister — particularly his coalition government with PASOK and DIMAR — highlighting how it helped steer Greece through crisis, preserve its place in the eurozone, and uphold national dignity at great personal cost.
Yet he stressed that Samaras is now being led down “the wrong path.” Citing loyalty and shared sacrifice, Markopoulos recalled how he and others fiercely defended Samaras during intense political attacks — including allegations tied to the Novartis scandal — when headlines demanded Samaras “prove his innocence.”
Criticism of Samaras’s Inner Circle
The deputy minister voiced strong disapproval of recent political alignments around Samaras, especially with figures who had previously left New Democracy (ND) and publicly criticized him. “It’s unacceptable,” he said, “that those who once tried to dismantle his family and reputation — who attacked him on front pages — are now his interlocutors, while we continue to face backlash for having stood by him.”
He described some of Samaras’s current advisors as “beneath the moment,” accusing them of isolating him from longtime allies. “They’re teaching us lessons now? Is he really going to form a party with them?” he asked pointedly. “We tell him calmly: ‘Antonis Samaras, don’t make this mistake.’ It’s a mistake for his extraordinary personal history.”
“The Circle Thinks It Runs a Messenian Club”
In one of his most biting remarks, Markopoulos criticized Samaras’s inner circle — using the Greek term kýklos — saying they act as though they’re managing “a local Messenian sports club,” rather than advising a former president of New Democracy, Greece’s largest post-junta conservative party, and a former prime minister. “They are far beneath the stature of the moment,” he added.
Markopoulos concluded by questioning the stated rationale for a new party, asking rhetorically: “Is it credible to claim ND no longer pursues patriotic politics?”