ATHENS –  Wasting no time, the newly-elected leader of the center-left Movement for Change (KINAL) party, Nikos Androulakis, blasted Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for vacillating over how to deal with the record-busting COVID-19 pandemic.

Mitsotakis has gone back and forth between tightening and easing health measures in a bid to save New Year’s Eve and the economy, to which he has turned his attention as the Coronavirus health crisis has worsened.

Androulakis, a Member of the European Parliament, said that the government is acting for purely political reasons as the Omicron Variant has overtaken the country, despite warnings from health advisors it was coming.

“In the last month, European governments have been taking effective measures to limit the Omicron variant in order to avoid the closure of the economy, adapting to developments,” he said.

“On the contrary, the decisions of the Greek government and the time it takes are determined by the political cost and appearances,” he added, noting that the government announced tough measures earlier before Mitsotakis revoked them.

Then more health restrictions were implemented but postponed and now more or newer conditions are likely to be set in place as the volatile Omicron has roiled the government keeping an eye on the polls, Androulakis indicated.

“These setbacks are catastrophic for the national effort,” Androulakis said, blaming the government for acting for purely political reasons as cases soared and hospitals face being overwhelmed yet again soon.