"No" and from Nikola to PD - "Significant political differences"

DIKO can not participate in a Government with which it has significant political differences, especially regarding the fight against corruption, said the President of the party, Nikolas Papadopoulos, after his morning meeting at the Presidential Palace with the President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiadis.

Mr. Papadopoulos also stated that "this does not mean that we can not contribute constructively to promote important reforms in Parliament", noting that "we expect the Government to show the same constructive disposition."

"I listened carefully to what the President of the Republic said today and I will convey what he has told me to the collective bodies of our party", said Mr. Papadopoulos leaving the Presidential Palace.

"What we have clarified today as DIKO is that we can not participate in a Government with which we have significant political differences, especially regarding the fight against corruption," he added.

He noted that "this does not mean that we can not contribute constructively to promote important reforms in Parliament. "DIKO has proved that despite being an opposition party, it can support legislative initiatives, political proposals in bills that are beneficial for our place and our people", he pointed out.

Of course, he added, "we expect the Government to show the same constructive disposition in terms of the content of these reforms."

Asked what the note he kept on leaving the Presidential Palace, after his meeting with the President of the Republic, Mr. Papadopoulos said that it is the list of reforms that the Government wants to promote in the next period.

"These are exactly the reforms we intend to consider in the collegiate bodies in the coming days," he said.

Asked whether he would object if the President of the Republic, in the context of his reshuffle, approached persons close to DIKO, Mr. Papadopoulos said that "we did not enter into a new discussion".

He reiterated that "as a party we can not participate in a government with which we have political differences. However, we are ready to face any proposals for promoting reforms with a constructive disposition, meaning of course that the Government will show the same constructive disposition on the other side ".