The Head of the District of Central Macedonia Panagiotis Psomiadis is determined to set up a new "civic movement" similar to the far-right party Lega Nord in Italy, although he tries to refute it in public. The support of the party with the ballot of which he was elected and the meeting with the President of New Democracy Antonis Samaras planned for Friday morning are not to change his plans, reports To Vima newspaper.
The announcement of the court order that the Head of the District of Central Macedonia is conditionally sentenced to one year with three years of probation coincided with the start of the four-day strike of the Greek media. But just minutes after its end, Panagiotis Psomiadis appeared on morning blocks, central news broadcasts and even midday gossip and lifestyle shows on all major Greek TV stations. The listeners of major radio stations also had the opportunity to hear him defending his act and asserting that the persecution against him is political. However, he clearly stated his intentions nowhere.
"Do not rush to make conclusions for my actions. Wait and you will be surprised," he said during the central news on Mega TV, though he had emphasized minutes earlier that the centrists and rightists in Greece are united around the President of New Democracy.
Many analysts believe that the popular politician from Thessaloniki seeks to benefit from his court vicissitude to play his role among the right audience of the Greek society. It is worth noting that Panagiotis Psomiadis won 10% of the vote during the internal party election for President of New Democracy.
According to the article, the Head of the District of Central Macedonia believes that his initiative will have a positive impact on New Democracy and that the center-right forces will unite again. The party spokesman Yiannis Mihelakis avoided commenting on the scenarios on the formation of a new movement or party by Panagiotis Psomiadis.
At the same time, although Antonis Samaras called him twice on the phone, once before and once after the trial at the Court of Appeal, not a few are the analysts who believe that Panagiotis Psomiadis will continue to act in favour of contention and that his actions are unpredictable.
And although he speaks positively in public for the support provided by the functionaries and members of the New Democracy, Panagiotis Psomiadis expressed his dissatisfaction before the trial that associates of the President Antonis Samaras and other senior officials ignore him.
There are many representatives of New Democracy who believe that it is better the party to disaffiliate with the events around Panagiotis Psomiadis and to send the message that it does not overlap with the more popular expression of the people's right.
Initially, the announcement of the sentence of Panagiotis Psomiadis caused different responses by the party. Antonis Samaras had to attend a presentation of a book on Monday, but at the last minute was replaced by the party secretary Andreas Lykourezos. According to some analysts, the decision of the New Democracy was due to the possible pressing of Antonis Samaras, appearing in public, by journalists to make a statement on the sentence of Panagiotis Psomiadis.
The two men will still meet, despite the numerous rumours that Antonis Samaras avoids meeting with Panagiotis Psomiadis. The meeting will take place at the airport in Thessaloniki early on Friday morning, from where the party leader will take off on a two-day tour of the Thrace region.
In parallel, the gestures of friendship between the Head of the District and the far-right party LAOS continue. Panagiotis Psomiadis accepted in his office today the leader George Karatzaferis to thank him for the support before and after the trial. The party leader, in turn, said that as the court orders are made in the name of the Greek people, Panagiotis Psomiadis is the Head of the District at the will, therefore, in the name of the people. He described his sentence as a "political coup" and said that his party would submit to the Parliament a proposal to amend the law.
Panagiotis Psomiadis is ready to appeal to the Supreme Court where his lawyers will seek annulment of the sentence. After the expected withdrawal of his powers, it is very likely that he would file an application for annulment at the State Council to determine whether his conviction is correct.
New Democracy argues that the withdrawal of powers is envisaged by the new law Kalikratis on reforms in the territorial allocation of the country, that entered into force on the 1st of January 2011 and it could not be applied retrospectively. Therefore, according to the blue, the law could not be applied to acts committed before its enforcement.