The prime minister, seeing the deadlocks facing him, began... courting the "special interests" that he was blaming and that were blaming him
By any means necessary, Kyriakos Mitsotakis is attempting to close fronts that had opened and were causing him immense damage, both communication-wise and politically. One of these was his relationship with business figures who consequently shifted course and supported Alexis Tsipras's initiative, declaring war on the Maximos Mansion.
The door of Maximos
The prime minister, seeing the deadlocks facing him, began courting the "special interests" that he was blaming and that were blaming him. The first step occurred when businessman and shipowner Evangelos Marinakis passed through the door of Maximos under the pretext of the Karaiskakis Stadium and legislative regulations regarding the height of the stadium stands. In fact, an official announcement was issued by the Maximos Mansion regarding that meeting. It appears, however, that recently there was a newer meeting between the two, which was not publicly announced, reshaping Greek political intrigue.
On the sidelines of the UN
According to leaked information, a meeting took place in New York. Kyriakos Mitsotakis talked with shipowner and Olympiacos owner Vangelis Marinakis on the sidelines of the prime minister's visit to the US for the UN Security Council. A short time ago, such a meeting would have seemed almost unthinkable given the intensity that had previously characterized relations between the two sides. It seems, however, that the climate has shifted and the distance is beginning to narrow, something one can also discern from the media line maintained by Marinakis, influencing Greek media alignments.
Normalization or a brief pause
Interest now shifts to what comes next: whether this represents a simple normalization of relations or a broader shift in balances between the two sides. What is certain is that the ice, at least for now, appears to be melting and the climate is taking shape within a new framework from both sides. And this was not the only meeting that was not officially made known. There was yet another: the meeting of the prime minister with Dora Bakoyannis, determining New Democracy internal dynamics.
What happened with Bakoyannis
Eavesdroppers were not inside the office and, consequently, no one can know precisely what was discussed between the two. The political timing, however, is far from irrelevant. The meeting occurred during a period of heightened international uncertainty following the outcome of the midterm elections in the US, but also ahead of the critical test of bathymetric surveys for the Greece–Cyprus electrical interconnection. This project holds a clear geopolitical dimension that tests Athens's endurance against Turkish reactions in practice. At the same time, within New Democracy, Dora Bakoyannis has already taken care to stir the waters. Her warnings regarding ministers who "have mounted the high horse," as well as behaviors unforgiven by society, had sparked intense discussions in the government camp, and her intervention on SKAI TV showed no disposition to lower her tone, affecting Greece Cyprus interconnection.
Will she be a candidate or not
The former minister attacked the opposition, accusing PASOK and the Greek Left Alliance of engaging in a "competition of insults." Regarding Alexis Tsipras, she argued that he failed to serve the new, calmer political profile he attempted to project, while regarding PASOK she noted that it possesses serious figures who, however, currently find themselves "shelved," particularly in foreign policy. Concurrently, she defended the government line on national issues, insisting that Greece has international law on its side regarding the cable issue. She explicitly clarified, in fact, that the primary issue with Turkey concerns the continental shelf and the EEZ, impacting Aegean EEZ disputes.
And the bombshell book
The question, nevertheless, remains: was yesterday's meeting a routine family and political interaction, or an attempt to settle pending matters within New Democracy? Dora's decision on whether she will run as a candidate in the upcoming elections remains open, while in little over a month, the presentation of her autobiography is expected. Those familiar with its contents predict it will spark widespread discussion inside and outside the ruling party. Whether she briefed him on these matters remains an intriguing point, as does whether the meeting was linked to the face-to-face between Mitsotakis and Marinakis, given that Dora maintains contacts with the shipowner even during difficult periods in his relations with Maximos, highlighting ruling party political maneuvering.
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