Papandreou’s absence stunned Venizelos

He also stressed that the support for Martin Schulz, about the presidency of the European Commission shows support for the alternative-progressive proposal in Europe. At the beginning of his speech, Venizelos apologized for some absences, without naming George Papandreou, the former prime minister. "I'm sorry for any absences of people, who should be here today" he said and added:"Everyone carries a personal and historical responsibility for the way he acts and demands in the imperatives of the country". About the absence of Democratic Left, he stated: "it has a enclosed and a personal sense. It doesn't cooperate with today's PA.SO.K. today, but collaborates with older members of PA.SO.K.".

Referring to the upcoming Euro and local elections, Venizelos stressed that there is no loose vote, because in these elections the future of the country will be judged and the interpretation of the result will be tough. In these elections, despite the individual characteristics, the Greek people will decide whether to uphold the sacrifices or risk everything he mentioned.

Venizelos criticized the Democratic Left, which, he said, participated in the first collaborations for a progressive pole inside the government, but ultimately didn't want the cooperation. "Faced with this attitude the Olive Tree was established without hegemony exclusions, without hypocrisy, without a conservative Left, a Left a weak perception about things".

He also mentioned old members of PA.SO.K., who were eliminated after misbehaving: "These morbid phenomena can't discredit the historical core of our party, the foundation by Andreas Papandreou, the Simitis government project and the last PA.SO.K. government that emerged from the 2009 elections".

He attacked SYRIZA and indirectly the New Democracy, saying that today we live in a vast communications fraud with concealment: "They forget that the 2012 elections were double and behave as these elections were the 2009 elections, but the 2012 election ruled out the logic of induction and instructed a government majority, which does not exist after the departure of Democratic Left". Venizelos also said that the Euro elections will be a big test for the entire opposition and primarily for SYRIZA, predicting that the opposition party will suffer a great loss and that it will face existential problems.

Addressing his own and other parties, he stressed that there are many who "believe that I am here to prevent them". And he promised that he will continue to be here to prevent them until the end. He added that team solutions are necessary: "We need a united Greece of democracy, progress, growth, employment and social justice" but noted that the above doesn't work in Greece, as the national front was split. "Today only muck describes the parties who were brought to power after and the dictatorship and a extreme right muck, who threatens the country" he added.

Venizelos replied to those who consider him "unlucky" because he faced major problems. "I'm lucky" he said, because "I am part of the war of my generation, because I osculate with history". He also referred to errors and frivolities of our European partners, who create problems, and to mistakes of partners in government. "Despite these problems" he said, "the faction has a significant presence".

Commenting on some European partners who believe that Greece is a beautiful country that has the misfortune ... to be inhabited by Greeks: "It is a heavy attack, which we won't tolerate. With the Olive Tree, Greece could become again a normal country, equivalent to the European Union and dignified. Nothing is more left, more progressive, more patriotic than that".