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Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou will cross the threshold of the presidential building at 5 p.m. to meet Carlos Papoulias.

"The dice is cast," were the words of the Greek President, who left the building shortly before 3 p.m. and said to reporters, "I will see you again in the afternoon."

At the meeting, George Papandreou is expected to submit his and his cabinet ministers’ resignations. Then, the name of the new Prime Minister  will be announced, who, according to sources, is expected to be present Minister of Finance Evangelos Venizelos and parliament spokesman Filippos Petsalnikos. The President will convene a meeting of political parties’ leaders at which the composition of the new cabinet will be announced.

The delay in the negotiations between PASOK and New Democracy leaders sparked a wave of political reactions. A few hours ago, they explained from the "blue" headquarters that it was not their fault. "The decision is up to Mr. Papandreou. There should be no other delay. Let us finish at last," said the party spokesman Yiannis Mihelakis.

The former longtime president of the Greek parliament, Apostolos Kaklamanis confirmed yesterday that he had met George Papandreou and Antonis Samaras, who had proposed him as new Prime Minister. The attempt has failed due to "some issues, regarding the participation of political persons" in the new cabinet.

"We have agreed. They have not put any conditions on whether to change some ministers, whom I will keep and whom I will remove," he said, adding that there were unresolved questions about the purpose of this cabinet and the participation of some persons in it.

"I feel sorry about Greece," was the comment of the LAOS leader George Karatzaferis, who added that Papandreou and Samaras continued to move in the "constellation of paranoia."

Especially critical of the actions of both political leaders, was the leader of Democratic Alliance, Dora Bakogiannis, "Instead of saving the country, they are driving it towards catastrophe," she said.

Her father and former Prime Minister, Konstantinos Mitsotakis, also expressed his view in a written message. "Greece does not need a puppet Prime Minister," he said and stressed that the only solution at this point was to choose an influential person, respected in Europe and the world, who knew what to do. "Discrediting the country and state institutions has reached the most extreme limits. It is time we pull ourselves together," he said.