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PASOK’s management aims to send a message of unity on the occasion of this year's celebration of 39 years since the establishment of the party on 3 September. Speeches of all the living presidents of the party will be the central event of the celebration. The event will end with the speeches of Costas Simitis, George Papandreou and Evangelos Venizelos. The party management wants this common appearance to be evidence that the party always finds ways to overcome difficulties, even in this difficult period and despite the problems of the past few months.

The presence of Papandreou and Simitis at the anniversary is the result of Evangelos Venizelos’s personal efforts. The presence of Simitis was finally decided after a telephone conversation between him and Venizelos, who have had many other such conversations recently. The relations between Venizelos and Simitis further emphasise the period of understanding. Papandreou's presence is equally important for PASOK’s unity after a long period of conflicts over party finances. Sources from the headquarters indicate that the collision with Papandreou has been an open wound for a long period and needs to be healed eventually. Venizelos’s future steps are expected to include an invitation to the centre-left through contacts with individuals who continue to enjoy political recognition.

Following the closure of the internal party front, Venizelos will deal mainly with the negotiations in September. Those from the headquarters of the Deputy Prime Minister believe that the outcome of negotiations with the Troika and the opinion of Greece’s creditors will be decisive for the country's development and survival of the government. It is no accident that Venizelos is closely following the problem with lay-offs of civil servants, the success of which will be crucial for the preservation of political stability.

On the occasion of lay-offs in the public sector and various other tasks of the government, Venizelos has recently been in contact with government officials, in addition to PASOK representatives, who have been gathering almost every week at the office of the Deputy Prime Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On Thursday afternoon, Venizelos had a meeting with Yiannis Stournaras regarding various issues within the competence of the Ministry of Finance. A special meeting was held between Venizelos and Development Minister Kostis Hatzidakis regarding the ESPA programme’s progress. Yesterday, Venizelos had a meeting with Adonis Georgiadis, who presented the course of cuts in the health care sector, as well as the process of the merger or closure of hospitals. Also, Evangelos Venizelos, together with Nikos Dendias, participated in a meeting with representatives of the departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Citizen Protection.