Greek PM aide Karanikas: Good riddance with Eldorado!

Greek PM Alexis Tsipras’s strategic consultant Nikos Karanikas issued an unprecedented statement via his twitter and Facebook accounts in response to the announcement on Monday by Canadian mining company Eldorado Gold to suspend its operations in Greece accusing the government of not fulfilling its contractual obligations. “El dorado did what it could. Pollution, forest destruction, breaking up human relations, buying off consciences. The local community must take to the streets..of the departure of this company and this “project” and support its [company’s] leaving our country, so that its threat is realised. Good riddance to el dorado and may it not consolidate anywhere”, he wrote. The announcement caused a series of chain reactions with statements by both opposition parties and government officials. Minister for Interior Panos Skourletis accused the Canadian company of having an “allergy” to the terms of agreement in the contract in an interview to radio station Alpha 989. He estimated the announcement was some kind of tactic to pressure the government in the wake of a pending adjudication at an arbitration body between the state and the company over contractual matters. Leader of minor partner ANEL in the SYRIZA led coalition government, Panos Kammenos expressed his disappointment over the news, stressing that it was unpleasant when an investment left Greece, adding however, that investments must be made under the EU laws. Speaking to Skai TV, Mr. Kammenos implied that the company had effectively bribed law enforcement by buying new patrol vehicles and buying out shares in media outlets to manipulate public opinion. Christos Mantas, SYRIZA’s parliamentary spokesperson acknowledged it was a blow for the departure of the company from Greece.