Costas Karamanlis

Amid growing upheaval within his own party, New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras lashed out at the SYRIZA-led government over the weekend, claiming that the leftists had lied to the Greek people and were leading the country into a new memorandum.

A former head of Greece?s National Intelligence Service (EYP), Dimitris Papangelopoulos, was on Wednesday sworn in as deputy justice minister, under minister Nikos Paraskevopoulos.

Papangelopoulos, who was general secretary for transparency at the ministry until Wednesday, led EYP under the premiership of conservative Costas Karamanlis.

17 years after the death of former President of Republic and conservative New Democracy leader Constantinos Karamanlis, a memorial service was held at “Constantinos Karamanlis Institute”, at the Athens suburb of Filothei on Tuesday.

By Alexis Papachelas

Socialist party PASOK on Wednesday suggested that former conservative Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis (photo) should be the first witness called to face a parliamentary committee expected to be set up to probe the circumstances in which Greece's two international bailouts were signed.

Efforts by Greece?s opposition parties New Democracy and PASOK to deconstruct the government?s narrative following a controversial deal with foreign lenders last week are being compromised by internal dissent.

Corruption prosecutor Dimitris Foukas on Monday issued a warrant for the arrest of a former US Embassy official on spying charges.

Former Administrative Reform Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis did not rule himself out on Friday of challenging for New Democracy?s leadership should the conservative party hold a contest soon.

?We will discuss it if it happens,? he told Mega TV. Mitsotakis was one of several top New Democracy officials who met in ex-Prime Minister Antonis Samaras?s absence earlier this week.

A discussion about the leadership of New Democracy may begin on February 19, when the party?s MPs are due to meet, Kathimerini understands.

The development comes after a number of top New Democracy officials met on Wednesday while party leader and former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras was traveling to Brussels for a meeting of the European People?s Party.

A number of top New Democracy officials met on Wednesday in the absence of conservative leader Antonis Samaras, who was in Brussels, to discuss the party?s future, Kathimerini understands.