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Anastasia Balezdrova

Drasi’s leader Stefanos Manos and Thanos Tzimeros, the leader of ReCreate Greece, announced their decision to form a pre-election coalition and participate together in the 17 June elections.

At a press conference in a hall full of both parties’ followers, they explained how and why they have taken the decision to join forces. "I received very angry responses from people who had supported us in the previous elections. I would tell them that by joining forces with Drasi we would win the sum of the votes. The work of the next parliament will determine almost everything associated with the future of the country. A serious voice is necessary to talk with our European partners and to push for the implementation of reforms." Thanos Tzimeros added that the new coalition, which will be called the ReCreate Greece Coalition, would give a vote of confidence to any reformist government. The deputies that the two leaders believe will be elected will vote in favour of any bill that is in the right direction, regardless of who will submit it to parliament. "Our collaboration will be based on ideas and objectives. This is the new political morality we want to introduce into the political life."

According to the electoral law, the 17 June elections will be held with party lists prepared by party leaderships. Both parties have prepared the nominations of the people who will be placed at the head and will be elected deputies, if the coalition fails to cross the 3% limit.

As Stefanos Manos stated, seats will be allocated almost equally with a slight advantage in favour of ReCreate Greece. "It is fair because ReCreate Greece won 2.15% of votes and Drasi - 1.8%." He explained that both parties have equal positions on issues crucial for Greece.

"We will play a stabilizing role in the new parliament. Thanos Tzimeros will be in Brussels tomorrow to meet European Liberals and will talk with them on our behalf. The aim is to make them aware that there is a political formation in Greece, which they can rely on. I am really optimistic," said the elder politician and the hall burst into applause.

In connection with yesterday’s obstacle for the formation of a pre-election coalition in the face of the leader of Liberal Alliance, Grigoris Valianatos, Stefanos Manos explained that the coalition involves the three parties, but the alliance is based on Drasi and ReCreate Greece.

"The coalition between Drasi and Liberal Alliance is still valid. Everything else is being settled. My appeal to you is not to listen to anything you might hear," he said.

In response to a question about the somewhat extreme positions of ReCreate Greece concerning illegal immigrants, Stefanos Manos said, "We are two different parties and retain our positions. We are laying the foundation of our cooperation in terms of an emergency. Of course, there are differences between us, but they can be discussed later after the elections."

Both politicians stressed that their aim is for a third pole to enter parliament to push for the implementation of reforms. "Even if SYRIZA won the elections it would not pursue any reforms, and shortly afterwards, it would collapse. However, neither New Democracy nor PASOK would implement any reforms because that would put them against their "clients" in the public sector, which they themselves have created. I think that New Democracy would win the majority vote, so our entry into parliament is even more important," said Thanos Tzimeros.

Asked by GRReporter whether Grigoris Valianatos was among those present in the hall, a source very close to Stefanos Manos said he was not sure, but "it does not matter because he is still with us."

The very provocative politician with his Facebook posts confirmed the information, "after the storm on Facebook, we continue our cooperation with Drasi and ReCreate Greece because although we disagree on various issues with a republican party (no problems, ReCreate Greece!), the people want to form a coalition and we are polite guys. We know how to coordinate, how to make tactical agreements and we have a political proposal that is worth hearing in parliament. So, we continue in a new way." Replying to his network friends about whether he would attend the press conference, Grigoris Valianatos explained that he will not be there, but "our people will go." The new coalition ballots will not have candidates from the Liberal Alliance, because of its low results in the elections on 6 May. "The composition of the ballots will be determined by a joint panel. The figures, i.e. your votes from the last elections, will naturally speak," was the explanation of Grigoris Valianatos.