New Democracy press representative Alexandra Sdoukou has dismissed former Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras's governing record during joint broadcast appearances on OPEN TV, MEGA News, and ERT News Radio in Athens. She declared that his past performance in office remains the single best metric for voters evaluating his political credibility.
Speaking in response to a recent interview given by Tsipras, Sdoukou stated that a photograph of the former prime minister should appear in dictionaries next to the word unreliability. She ridiculed his claim of fighting against entrenched commercial interests, asserting that anyone hearing the statement would laugh because his administration maintained close relations with powerful business figures.
Sdoukou cited specific examples to support her criticisms, recalling that Tsipras did not impose taxes on shipowners during his tenure, a point she noted was previously confirmed by former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. She also accused the previous administration of splitting up road construction contracts to benefit favoured developers and overseeing the issuance of uncollateralized loans.
In addition, Sdoukou asserted that the former leader failed to support press freedom and media pluralism. She stated that his government attempted to control media outlets to prevent the public from discovering the full reality of its actions.
Tsipras led Greece as prime minister from 2015 to 2019 at the head of the Coalition of the Radical Left, known as Syriza. His premiership coincided with intense international bailout negotiations during the height of the European debt crisis, leading to widespread economic restructuring across the country.
Opposition Record and Handyman Metaphor
Addressing Tsipras's comment that he now understands both his objectives and the methods needed to achieve them, Sdoukou responded with a tradesman analogy. She pointed out that a homeowner would never rehire a handyman who previously damaged their house, even if the worker claimed to have learned how to do the job properly.
Sdoukou emphasized that the country represents the shared home of all Greek citizens. She added that while Tsipras is free to grant interviews in an attempt to rewrite history, voters lived through that period and their memories cannot be erased by one or even a hundred media appearances.
Wildfire Relief and Disaster Compensation
Turning to government actions following recent wildfires, Sdoukou underlined that authorities are providing rapid assistance to citizens who lost property. She stated that immediate financial support must reach victims quickly, bypassing potential bureaucratic delays.
Urgent measures include a rental subsidy for residents unable to occupy their homes in the coming days. For properties that suffered complete destruction, Sdoukou announced that compensation will reach up to 1,000 euros per square metre, capped at a maximum limit of 150 square metres.
Regarding restoration efforts, Sdoukou noted that the government's primary goal after a major fire is ensuring that heavy winter rains do not cause additional flooding or erosion. She confirmed that technical studies are moving forward immediately, with the first anti-erosion and flood protection projects set to begin by September 15 in areas where soil and debris risk sliding.
Sdoukou announced that 25 million euros from the Green Fund are being deployed for flood control projects in affected areas of Attica, the administrative region surrounding Athens. Burned forest lands are being officially designated for reforestation, with the target of completing most restoration work by the end of the year. The Green Fund is a state organization operating under the Ministry of Environment and Energy to finance environmental protection efforts.
Economic Agenda and Future Policies
Asked about the upcoming Thessaloniki International Fair, Sdoukou previewed the keynote address to be delivered by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. She stated that this year's event will follow a new approach, announcing economic measures that will take effect starting in 2027 alongside a broader four-year policy blueprint extending to 2030.
Sdoukou explained that the forthcoming economic plan will focus heavily on relieving financial pressure on households. The initiatives aim to increase monthly disposable income for salaried workers, provide greater security for pensioners, reduce production costs for farmers, and support self-employed individuals and small business owners.
She stressed that delivering these policy goals requires robust economic expansion to increase the nation's overall wealth. Sdoukou concluded that the government will outline a vision for Greece in 2030 defined by higher personal incomes, reduced tax burdens, and expanded investment.
The Thessaloniki International Fair is an annual trade and commercial exhibition held every September in northern Greece. It serves as the traditional national venue for Greek prime ministers to present their administration's economic platform and fiscal plans for the upcoming year. New Democracy has held power in Greece since winning the 2019 parliamentary elections under Mitsotakis.
