Sources in Athens were convinced this afternoon that elements within the EU/IMF/Berlin Troika were behind a flood of media articles in Greece over the last two days concerning the probable need for a ‘compromise’ candidate for Prime Minister in the likely event of a dead-heat election on May 6th. The emerging name is that of New Democracy Vice-President Stavros Dimas (above)…a former Wall Street banker and EU Commissioner.
New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras is now widely felt in Greece to be unlikely to become Prime Minister. News reports have suggested that the opposition PASOK Socialists will demand an alternate leader – Stavros Dimas: a very conveniently Troika-friendly choice.
“This is partly the work of Evangelo Venizelos,” says an Athenian source whose tips have been accurate in the past. “And of course, as we have seen, he is in the Troika’s pocket. He sees a possibility of losing his grip on power, and I would imagine also his access to corrupt EU wealth, if Samaris takes charge and immediately starts to repudiate the Brussels Accord [the bailout agreement]. Whether it is entirely his idea is doubtful. I think he has a line open to Brussels all the time. He is their man, totally.”