ATHENS – New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis sternly attacked Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras accusing him that with the Novartis case he attempted to disorientate the public opinion, in an interview on Saturday with SKAI TV.

The main opposition leader said “we will defend ourselves against any attack” adding that “there is a scandal but Mr. Tsipras’ aim was to sully his political opponents”.

He opined that Tsipras will invest in division with more scandals underlining that “if Mr. Tsipras believed his story for the return to normality then he would not divide the society”.

However, he clarified that if there is proof that someone from his party touched public money he will leave from ND.

On the negotiations for the FYROM name issue he referred to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent statement (she used the term Macedonia) which was not useful while the negotiation is in progress.

He also said that Tsipras should set from the start the condition that if they (FYROM) do not change its Constitution we do not discuss anything.

Referring to Turkey, Mitsotakis said that “Greece will defend its rights with self confidence and with appeal to the international law and recourse to our partners. What I ask for is the de-escalation of the tension in the Aegean immediately. The tension in the Aegean is dangerous”, he said.

He also said that unity is imperative on the national issues adding that Tsipras can’t express the normality “he is nourished from polarisation when the Greek society wants stability and trust, someone with plan and vision”.

On the economy, he said that he will make a campaign to attract investors and to create job positions. “We will bring jobs and investments. The investors will find a stable and simple tax framework that will gradually reduce the taxes. They will find a political climate that will favour the creation of investments” said Mitsotakis adding that among his priorities will be the rapid promotion of the privatisations.