Kammenos maintains firm position, says general election is 'one-way street'

Panos Kammenos, leader of the anti-bailout Independent Greeks party, on Thursday said he maintained his firm position of not voting in favor of Stavros Dimas, the coalition government's choice for president in the next two rounds of voting coming up on December 23 and 29.

His comments came following a meeting with former Prime Minister Constantinos Mitsotakis on Thursday, a day after a first round of voting in Parliament gave the government's candidate 160 votes, out of the 200 needed for his election in the first round.

"We will not give Samaras and Venizelos the kiss of life," noted Kammenos, who said general elections were now a "one-way street."

According to Kammenos, the senior statesman believes that some kind of consensus among local political forces should be reached before a new general election is held. He also noted that he has held regular meetings with Mitsotakis since 1991.

The right-wing, anti-bailout Independent Greeks party controls 12 seats in the 300 MP assembly.