Bakoyannis equally critical of ND, PASOK

Former foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis, who formed her own political party this month, on Sunday dismissed sharp criticism against her by her previous party, main opposition party New Democracy (ND), as well as charges of “political apostasy”.

“It is ND that has defected from its progressive identity,” Bakoyannis said.

Moreover, in describing her differences with ND and its leader Antonis Samaras, she said ND is turning into a “protest party”, merely investing in demagoguery and isolationism vis-à-vis the European developments, “while acquiring even more intense anti-European, anti-liberal and populist characteristics in its statements”.

Turning to the ruling party, Bakoyannis charged that PASOK “cannot escape from its old identity or break its bonds with statism, in order to proceed with necessary breaks (from the past)”.

Bakoyannis’ interview was published in the Athens weekly “Real News”.