It is not only love that passes through the stomach during the well-known saying, but often also the political processes. In secret or overt tables, historic agreements have been made from time to time, political alliances have been formed, and governments have risen or fallen. After all, the climate between cheese and pear is more relaxed than in office meetings - which is why working meals have been introduced.
A typical example is the dinner that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is preparing for next week at his paternal home in Chania to the head of US diplomacy Mike Pompeo. The Foreign Minister will not be the first high-ranking guest to visit the picturesque house in Akrotiri, Chania, as one of the people who knew well the benefits of power lunches or dinners was the late Konstantinos Mitsotakis, who was hosted by political leaders at the house. and his opponents up to US presidents.
There are many "tables" that have made history in our country from time to time. Let us remember the most important of them.
In the summer of 1989 the then president of New Democracy Constantine Mitsotakis had hosted a dinner at the house of Glyfada with guests Charilaos Florakis and Leonidas Kyrkos, which led to the government between the Right and the Left in November of the same year. In the front pages of the next day I talked about the famous dolmadas that the hostess Marika Mitsotaki had cooked.
But 22 years later she would reveal that she had not wrapped vine leaves that night. "Well, no, I had not cooked dolmadas. I had given them treats, coffee and sweets "states in 2011 something that is confirmed by Mimis Androulakis who was a close associate of the secretary general. of the KKE. In fact, at some point, when Florakis himself met Mitsotakis again, he said to him in a humorous mood: "What will happen? Won't you finally invite us to eat those of your wife's famous dolmadas? "
In the 1990s, US President George W. Bush Sr. will be hosted twice in our country by Konstantinos Mitsotakis, who not only set the table for him but also hosted him in Crete. The first time was on July 20, 1991 and the second in 1994. In fact, it is said that the high guest was surprised by the culinary skill of Marika Mitsotaki who was famous for the xerotigana, dolmadakia, Giouvarlakia and the spinach pie that she made. In fact, before leaving Greece, the US president had taken care to take cans of Cretan olive oil with him, which had also excited him.
The dinner that took place in November 1994 at the house of Vassos Papandreou in Rematia, Halandri, with guests Costas Simitis, Theodoros Pangalos and Paraskeva Avgerinos, has also written political history. At the "dinner of the four" as it became known, the attendees enjoyed ajem pilaf, artichokes ala civita, tagliatelle with bird livers, spinach cheese pie and panacota. The main topic of discussion was the choice of the person who would succeed the patient founder of PASOK Andreas Papandreou. That night it was essentially decided that Costas Simitis would claim the leadership of the movement. For the record, let us emphasize that Costas Laliotis was also invited to the dinner, but in the end he did not attend.
Twenty-four hours after lunch in Chalandri in November 1994, Andreas Papandreou dined at the so-called "pink villa" at 3 Agrampelis Street in Ekali, with Karolos Papoulias, Telemachos Chytiris and Giorgos Katsifamaras confronting and searching for the skeptics. The menu prepared by Dimitra Liani - Papandreou included fish (tongue fillet and red mullets), pastitsio, rice and salads. The hostess had a great weakness in cooking. In fact, Andreas Papandreou used to say to his mother-in-law, "Foreigner, you cook well but your daughter even better. "The little fox looks like a fox."
On the evening of February 19, 1997, 31 deputies of the New Democracy gathered at the house of Giannis Varvitsiotis, in Paleo Psychiko. "I thought that if 20 were collected it would be a success, so when I realized that there were more, I was excited," he told Kathimerini 12 years later. "In the previous days, he adds, I had informed my colleagues in Parliament that a meeting would be held at my house, in order to discuss the future of the party." Then the future seemed uncertain. Mr. Miltiadis Evert had already lost once to Mr. Costas Simitis and the other declared candidate, George Souflias, had secured the support of Konstantinos Mitsotakis. The third candidacy was that of Byron Polydoras, but it was not considered competitive.
Snacking, the deputies started talking about the future of the liberal faction. The host, after reiterating to those present that he could not claim the leadership of the party, stressed that a young and incorruptible person should be elected who will ensure unity. Everyone knew why they were in the luxury home. Without hesitation, they decide to support 41-year-old Costas Karamanlis for the presidency of New Democracy, who was not present, but was informed by phone about the developments.
Journalists had gathered outside the house. At two in the morning, Giannis Varvitsiotis comes out and reads the relevant announcement to them. At the same time, the deputies in the living room "had indulged in the meatballs prepared by my wife," recalls the experienced politician.
Overlooking the Parthenon was held on January 18, 2000 at the restaurant "Dionysos" the meal between the then President of New Democracy Costas Karamanlis and the Mayor of Athens Dimitris Avramopoulos with the main topic of discussion being the possible inclusion of the latter in the party ballots in view of the upcoming elections on April 9th.
The conversation lasted a long time but to no avail. Mr. Avramopoulos chose to remain in the municipality. Many later said that it was this denial that deprived New Democracy of victory in those elections.
On the evening of January 18, 2001, Prime Minister Costas Simitis has completed five years in the leadership of PASOK and to celebrate it he hosts a dinner at the Maximos Palace with members of the Council of Ministers as attendees. The issue, however, was that only the ministers were invited, with the result that the deputy ministers protested against the fact that they were fasting. The only undersecretary present due to his capacity was Telemachos Chytiris (Undersecretary of Press and Mass Media), while the Secretary of the Council of Ministers Socrates Kosmidis and the advisers to the Prime Minister Nikos Themelis and George Papadis were also present.
Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has just completed seven months in power and is setting the table for the deputies of the Third Summer Department of New Democracy. He chooses the tavern "Bairaktaris" in Monastiraki. During the discussion, which took place in a relaxed atmosphere, the developments for the forthcoming law on "main shareholder" that attempted to exclude from the ownership of mass media natural or legal persons that have financial relations with the State are commented.
There, according to those present, Mr. Karamanlis stated that "I will not let five peddlers and five other centers manipulate the political life of the place, because they are easily manageable. As long as we do our job as legislators and Justice does its job. " A little later, circles of the Maximos Palace, when asked about the characterization as "swindlers", underlined that the prime minister did not use such phraseology, although to this day there are MPs who insist that this is exactly what was said.
The delivery of dinners, however, was continued by the next president of New Democracy, Antonis Samaras. In the winter of 2013 he received the members of his Parliamentary Group at the tavern "O Vassilis" in Kifissia, which is located almost next to his house. Besides, since that time he visited it often, in order to enjoy the special burger with tomato and patties. The purpose of the dinner is to strengthen relations between the deputies of the "blue" faction.
In mid-September 2019, Dora Bakoyannis hosted a dinner for members of all parties participating in the plenary and committees of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe as head of the Greek delegation, at the home of the Mitsotakis family in Glyfada.
Among the guests is George Papandreou, to whom the "blue" MP Fotini Pipili, who was present, refers brilliantly: "As soon as I saw George, I said to him at some point, 'George, let me clarify a few things because you do not come to Dora's house often.' . George was looking at me. "We eat here, there is no green tea here." George Papandreou laughed and said to me "No, no, Fotini, I am prepared". I tell him "be careful because even if we see you not eating, we will have a hard time". For the story, the dinner contained, among other things, wonderful eggplants.
