ND candidates meet to defuse tension

The four contenders in New Democracy’s leadership race have agreed to meet Wednesday in a bid to defuse tension following in-party skirmishing Tuesday.

The meeting has been scheduled for 5 p.m. ahead of the party’s parliamentary group session.

The party’s unity was tested further Tuesday by a row that broke out over the procedure being followed for the November 22 leadership contest.

Current leader Evangelos Meimarakis is said to have interrupted a meeting of the ND’s electoral committee and launched a fierce attack on secretary Andreas Papamimikos and general manager Costas Tsimaras over suspicions about the process being followed to choose a company to run the ballot.