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GRReporter is starting a series of interviews with famous figures – journalists, sociologists and analyzers, who are making a puzzle of interesting political positions. Today we are presenting Titos Atanasiadis, who has been the director of Apogevmatini newspaper for many years and who is awarded with the prestigious journalism prize “Ipekci”. Mr. Atanasiadis is the author of the books Byzantine Emperors, Revolution from Lenin to Gorbachov, Political Life and Olympic Games in Antiquity.

What are the pros and cons of both PM candidates in Greece – Kostas Karamanlis and Georgios Papandreou?

Mr. Karamanlis is clearer and probably more direct than Mr. Papandreou. For example he says “I will not increase all pensions and salaries but only the lowest ones,” and Mr. Papandreou says: “I will increase all salaries and pensions, small increases but to all.” It is very brave for a political leader to announce no increases. Mr. Karamanlis is clearer and braver.

Besides this Mr. Karamanlis says that he will decrease expenditures and will fight against tax evasion. Mr. Papandreou promises to apply a common tax coefficient but he does not explain what exactly this means – is it going to be applied for all? Because this means that firms working in the small sectors, will be harmed.

Mr. Karamanlis announced he will continue reforms. For the last ten years everybody was talking about Olympic’s privatization but during the governance of New Democracy this deal was actually realized, because no one before dared to. On the other hand Mr. Papandreou said that if he wins the elections he will try to achieve better deals. Example is the oil-pipeline Bourgas-Alexandroupolis, the contract for which is already signed. Mr. Papandreou believes this deal is for the benefit only for Russia and he will try to revise it, in order for it to become one-sided.

According to you do voters read the pre-election programs? How do you see the main differences between the programs of the two parties?

No, voters do not read the programs. Most of them get informed through TV and radio but they do not get too much into it. There are no big differences between the programs of the two parties, as it was in 1981 for example. Nowadays the differences in the pre-election programs are minimal.

Which are the good and bad sides of the Greek dual-party governing model?

The dual-party model ensures stable governments and sleeker and more normal political life. If our governing model was as it was in Italy before some years with many parties and election according to the proportionate system, then we wouldn’t have stable political life but a more “sailing” one.

Do you share the opinion that some families are distributing and transmitting power in Greece?

Yes, this is true. But this is nothing new. In Greek history we have examples from the past. One is the big politician Elefterios Venizelos, who was the Prime Minister and later on his son Sophoclis Venizelos, who also became PM. Another example is Panagis Tzaldaris who also was a PM during the period between the two wars and a bit after the Second World War, his nephew also became a Prime Minister.

Which are the main reasons for the fall in trust of New Democracy?

The main reasons are two. First, the economic crisis, which affected Greece but not as much as it did to other European countries and second – corruption.

According to you what is the role of the small parties?

They stabilize democracy. If only the two big parties existed then there will be monopoly. More parties give more ideas, contribute for democracy in governing and they widen the scale of the one who are criticizing every government in power.

Marina Nikolova