Personal role? The publication of Alexis Tsipras’s call with former Minister of Defence and Member of State Evangelos Apostolakis who was independent, and the meeting of the former Prime Minister with the new president of Syriza Socrates Famello, send a message. The call was made on the Admiral’s initiative to discuss his decision to leave Syriza after the undemocratic methods he denounced. “Other advised him”! After announcing yesterday his decision to independence as the column had revealed to you on 25 / 11, reliable sources adjacent to the former prime minister, said: “In an absolute way he transferred his position, that especially an appointed MP, when he disagrees with the party that elected him resigns, leaving the seat that neither politically nor morally belongs to him. Apparently he heard advice from others,” the sources concluded. Amputated The background shows that indeed Evangelos Apostolakis who has been close to Stefanos Kasselakis since the beginning, and was one of those who urged him to leave Syriza especially after the undemocratic decision to be excluded from the electoral process for the leadership of SYRIZA, the former president, was ambivalent if moving on to his independence he should also surrender his seat. Slow reflexes He had left a crack as he said he would make his decisions after first talking to Tsipras. Apparently the former Prime Minister did not convince him and announced independence one day earlier than expected (Friday). Alexis Tsipras made a nuisance through his sources. In any case he showed slow reflexes. He did not shake his finger in the previous period to convince the departureers to stay in Syriza and fight the battle of survival. With 27 MPs left the party out of the 47 who elected in 2023 and the scratching will continue. ‘Price’ and ‘conscience’ “Having served the country from high positions of responsibility and knowing very well what responsibility means, conscience” and “honour”, I cannot be in a party that operates in this way,” Evangelos Apostolakis said. “My decision to remain an independent Member of Parliament and to maintain my seat is completely in line with my obligation towards citizens and democracy. “ ‘ Present’? Present in every effort of SYRIZA-PS that will make the progressive leading party of developments, he said he would be the former prime minister at his meeting with newly elected President Socrates Famelos. The local organization of Vineyards of which he was a member has almost dissolved. Perhaps he could be more effective if he didn’t let Syriza be overwhelmed by the solvent phenomena. A compass is sought Hard for Tsipras who is a smart man has delusions that 6-8 percent of the polls give Syriza may lead to the miracle. Most likely these party activities of being the last since its general principle is that it does not want to enter the frame of failure. SYRIZA begins a trip to the unknown with hope and no one can predict whether to catch a port. At present, a compass is simply sought. Political loneliness A political loneliness is experienced by Antonis Samaras after the way he was erased by Kyriakos Mitsotakis from the ND parliamentary group and also from the party. Polls are both obvious and secret. In her last pulse for Skye, ND voters positively consider the Samara erasure to be 76% (sure/probably positive), as does 42% of the sample as a whole. Disturbed The information says he has been very annoyed and upset because even his political friends sharing his views have not come out publicly to denounce his deletion and defend him. Even those who express their respect, in his face, characterize the deletion imposed. The climate in Maximu is: What else would he have to say to be deleted? undermining! Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his interview with the Alpha for the first time used a very heavy word for a former prime minister. He openly accused him of undermining. “Antonis Samaras was a prime minister who experienced the toughest face of populism and I would expect him today to look forward and not reproduce theories which essentially undermine my authority and the authority of the Foreign Minister, undermine the President of the Republic of Cyprus himself,” Mr Mitsotakis stressed. Too bad! The information I’m going to mention here really upset me. Antonis Samaras outraged by his own people who he considers to have betrayed him, reportedly removed from his office the decades secretary of Georgia Gika, the wife of the Deputy Minister for Rural Development Dionysis Stamenitis. She didn’t get unemployed because she’s working for the Southwest CO. Maybe he’s not entitled to it now in his office that’s been deleted. But I guess there’s no person in charge of the House who would withdraw an employee from the office of a former prime minister. A lot of nerves! It is recalled that Stamenitis also voted for the arrangement for same-sex couples following the party line imposed by the prime minister on the cabinet. Of course he didn’t even come out to disagree with the Samara erasure. Steles saw Gika crying, but Antonis Samaras’ director Mr. Buras reportedly announced to her that the Samara decision does not change. “Empty” and from Latinopoulou That was a hit on the former Prime Minister. Despite all the previous time there were discussions everywhere that Antonis Samaras encourages ND voters who are unhappy with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, heading towards Venus Latinopoulou, the president of the Voice of Reason made it clear that she is not going under anyone or Antonis Samaras. “I will not break up the Voice of Reason to go to a Samara party,” he told “Bra de Ferre” in Parapolitan 90.1. “The Voice of Reason is here, we are stronger, we are not interested in scenarios,” he stressed. At the same time, he sent the message that he would not work with anyone after the national elections if there was a need for the establishment of cooperation governments. Boxing display Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is reportedly determined to continue publicly denouncing anyone who leaves spikes against the government for national dividends or other unruly charges. It is no coincidence that he disagreed openly with Kostas Karamanlis when he said that disciplinary measures do not help unity. He also announced a new occasion for Samaras that “one cannot tell the Prime Minister to fire the Foreign Minister”! Recovery Alert Kyriakos Mitsotakis remains the absolute sovereign in the political scene in terms of suitability for the prime ministership. But it is also at its lowest, below 30% which, according to the MRB’s Mega poll, is starting to cause a relative concern. The show of boxing and tangible government results is a one-way street for the Mitsotakis government, much more so now that PASOK exceeds 20%. The difference from the ND is one digit. The new dipole is forming. In 2027 many may see it as far away, but it is as close as they can imagine. They’re shipping! The Movement of the Republic of Stefanos Kasselakis relieved that he left Syriza, is also in a festive mood. They decorated the court Christmas at the offices of Taurus. A new beginning awaits Stefanos Kasselakis in his personal life. Apparently, on Christmas 2024 he’ll spend it at the house he bought with his husband Cheeker MacBeth in Kolonaki. All this time, crews were working and his furnishings were getting ready. But in about two months he’ll probably turn them in with the key in his hand. On the right track, the discussions of ETA – Mantonakis In a positive climate, discussions between the public (see Public Real Estate Company – EBRD) and the Pantelis Mantonakis Group continue to continue in order to find a compromise formula and to withdraw the latter from the claim of around 700m euros that he has won by responding arbitration decisions of the Supreme Court. It seems that the formula that has been found has as a focus the grant of a neighbouring area with the Grand Resort Lagonissi managed by the Mandonakis group so as to obtain the necessary building factor that will allow it to develop luxurious tourist residences. In the complex deal are also involved the banks which a few months ago had proceeded to auction the luxury tourist complexes of the Madonanakis Group in Elounda, but the latter blocked him judicially. Now an agreement that will rid the public of the enormous financial burden of 700 million can only include banks. The reputation for Costa Navarino To stay in the hotel space, yesterday a strong reputation for selling the Costa Navarino band controlled by the Constantakopoulos family was released in stock exchange and journalistic offices yesterday, while the Saudi group Olayan has a minority. Some rushed to link fame to the fact that these days (Wednesday and Thursday) a Greek-Arab conference was held in Athens involving powerful actors from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. The truth is that those who carried out the rumor fell into a major error and this is about the valuation to which the agreement has supposedly been concluded. These are valuations much lower than even smaller bands that have changed hands over the last five years. Those who move such rumours may at least be more serious! Attention! The column does not rule out that the shareholders of TEMES controlled by Costa Navarino have accepted or discussed the entry of investors. It will take important funds to move forward the new investments in Greek that should eventually start. Blackstone prepares new tourist deals Tourism has its honor today. The column monitors Blackstone’s movements, which a few days ago closed the takeover agreement of Grand Hyatt Athens on Syngros Avenue, by Henderson Park and Hines investment companies at a price of 235m euros. It is only from this valuation that you understand the tin dealers who were dealing yesterday with the valuation of Costa Navarino. Grand Hyatt was acquired by Hotel Investment Partners (HIP), the Spanish group that Blackstone uses to buy other hotels in the Mediterranean. Last year HIP was valued four billion euros and in this valuation acquired 35% of the company the Singapore State Investment Fund (GIC). Blakcstone now controls ten hotels in Greece through HIP and everything shows how to increase them! To increase 5% on the EYDAP and EIATH clientele An increase of close to 5% is expected in the client list of EYDAP and EYATH as long as municipal water supply and sewerage (JHA) are incorporated in neighbouring municipalities of Athens – Piraeus and Thessaloniki respectively according to what the column is informed. It is recalled that the government has announced the incorporation of JHA of the rest of Attica, Boeotia and Fokida in EYDAP and Halkidiki (and possibly Kilkis, according to information from the column) in EYDAP. On the basis of the project of the Ministry of Energy and the Environment, which has been delivered to KEDE, as well as to the general secretariat of the government, the JHA of the above areas, if they do not join EYDAP and EYATH, should proceed to consolidation either at regional unit level (i.e. by county level) (i.e. one JHA of the prefecture of Boeotia with a neighbouring JHA of the prefecture of Fokida). The expected increase of 5% of the EYDAP and EIATH clientele does not mean – the same sources in the column – “automatic” increase in the profits of the above companies, as investment in the areas of JHA incorporated will be expected. This means that the “enlargement” of EYDAP and EIATH will not mean an “automatic” increase in their valuation. Something (new) moves in the supplies of Focus remittances to commissions on remittances, with the aim of reducing banks do, as the column is informed. This is because their cost is higher than that of European banks, which has caused the discontent of the competent European authorities. However, from the ‘back door’, the cost of commissions on transfers will be reduced by extending payments via IRIS (from EUR 500 to EUR 1000 between natural persons etc.). At the same time, banks, according to the same information, consider new, more attractive trading packages, so that they can best cope with competition. The “Competitiveness Council” may not have understood it in Athens but these days the Hungarian Presidency in the EU is coordinating another “Competitiveness Council”. A lot has been heard about Europe’s unpleasant situation, but the column will focus on the debate on the battery industry and the serious problems faced by battery factory projects in Europe. Last example is the Northvolt that went bankrupt. The European Council in its communication argues that a strong signal must be sent to markets that Europe will support the development of the battery industry. That is why it asks the new European Commission to take measures to support existing battery plants and also to pave the way for the new gigafactories planned across Europe. “What do we care?” you will wonder. We care and it burns since one of the plans for a giant battery has been made by the Sunlight of the Olympia Group. The plan looks frozen until further notice. Until such large investments are established by Brussels. What about the stock of debts in the funds? Another ‘stock’ confronts insurance funds, after the drastic reduction in the ‘stock’ of outstanding pension claims, i.e. the debt of funds to insured persons. This is but the ‘stock’ of business debts to the funds. The latest report of the Insurance Receipt Centre (CEAS) predicts that these debts reached EUR 48.8 billion. It is worth noting that at the end of 2019 debts amounted to 35.3 billion euros. In other words, they increased by EUR 13.5 billion or 38% in 2019 – 2024. In fact, 39% of the total debt (over EUR 19 billion) of EUR 48.8 billion relates to additional fees. At the same time, a number of active fixed arrangements, after a rise streak, fell last from 153,000 to 132.000. A portion of the government is “in principle” contrary to the regulations, as it believes that all they do is cultivate the culture of inconsistency and thus recycling debts. It therefore does not discuss any new regulation. Of course, no one knows what they will do later, for example if something starts to go wrong in the good – for the time – course of (current) revenues due to the campaign against tax evasion (with the aim of further reducing taxes and fair – targeted support for the weak, etc.), which is still in its first, enthusiastic steps. Also, no one can know that, ultimately, this campaign will affect the income from contributions, especially as the reduction of unemployment – obviously now – is fighting. For this reason, some column interlocutors insist that the government might have to see in time and with a new eye the management of insurance debts, beyond the “clises”, i.e. beyond the regulation of 24 installments and the last (and not particularly efficient) seizure of assets. For example, they say our own interlocutors, could be given by the government some “motivating” so that debtors who can pay their debts, do so not only gradually, but also in a way that does not punish, while those who cannot, by all means, be relieved of them. Energy ‘orthodox’ in Brussels is not changing with the new Commission Despite Ursula von der Leien’s promises about energy costs and the Dragi report that shook the waters, the so far indications are that the hard core of the operation of the European energy market will not change. Today many countries, such as Greece, protest the suffering caused by the architecture with which the electricity market is set up. However, the answers they receive leave little room for interpretation for deep incisions. outgoing energy commissioner, Country Simpson, spoke to the European Parliament Wednesday about the energy costs of Southeast Europe. He pointed out in this regard that after having had communication with Greek and other governments in recent weeks, the measures considered are exclusively retail rather than wholesale. These are, in other words, micro-corrections that in practice do not change things radically for the better. The wholesale issue has also been avoided by the new Commissioner Dan Jorgensen in his own positions, so everything shows that things will continue a little longer as they are. The flats and the regulation for photovoltaic regulation allowing the installation of photovoltaics in common flats with a simple majority is expected to include RIS in a forthcoming bill. The measure will enable such systems to be installed with the consent of 51% of the owners, which may cause new frictions corresponding to what already happened in the case of Airbnb. This is even more so since photovoltaic prices have fallen to “tartars”, so there is a clear incentive to invest and the whole thing is not a theoretical exercise, but a practical solution to energy costs. A possible option for no reactions is the joint installation of photovoltaics by the owners, if there is interest. In practice, however, legal matters relating to the regulation of each apartment building and the interpretation of the legislation are expected to arise.
Slow reflexes Tsipras, the political loneliness Samaras, which close to his partner removed, Latinopoulou’s “licence”, the Mitsotakis box display, the good climate in government discussions with Mandonnakis group, the reputation for Costa Navarino, the increase of a clientele in EYDAP and EATH due to JHA, the reductions in transfer supplies and the “stock” debts in the Funds
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