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| Greece debt crisis: Tsipras calls on Greeks to defy 'blackmail' as nation remains divided and fearful | Greece debt crisis: Tsipras calls on Greeks to defy 'blackmail' as nation remains divided and fearful |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has urged voters to reject "blackmail" ahead of Sunday's bailout referendum. | The Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has urged voters to reject "blackmail" ahead of Sunday's bailout referendum. |
| In a brief TV address Mr Tsipras told the nation: "I urge you to say no to ultimatums, blackmail and the campaign of fear." | In a brief TV address Mr Tsipras told the nation: "I urge you to say no to ultimatums, blackmail and the campaign of fear." |
| The PM also advised Greeks not to give in to the "sirens of scaremongering" after EU leaders warned a "No" vote could result in Greece leaving the Eurozone. | The PM also advised Greeks not to give in to the "sirens of scaremongering" after EU leaders warned a "No" vote could result in Greece leaving the Eurozone. |
| Opinion polls indicate a tight race between both camps, signs of an increasingly polarised Greek society. According to the latest survey to be published, the “yes” camp in the upcoming referendum has a narrow lead ahead of Sunday’s vote. | |
| Despite Tsipras's assurances, many Greek people are not certain whether Sunday’s referendum is a vote on whether Greece will remain in the euro or not (Reuters) | |
| According to Alco polls published in Ethnos newspaper which surveyed some 1000 people across the country, 41.5 percent of Greeks would support the new bailout measures to avoid an exit from the Eurozone. The “No” camp which follows with 40.2 per cent doesn’t unanimously back an exit from the Eurozone. According to the same research, less than 2 out of 10 Greeks want the country to go back to its national currency, and 75 per cent of Greeks want the Euro. | According to Alco polls published in Ethnos newspaper which surveyed some 1000 people across the country, 41.5 percent of Greeks would support the new bailout measures to avoid an exit from the Eurozone. The “No” camp which follows with 40.2 per cent doesn’t unanimously back an exit from the Eurozone. According to the same research, less than 2 out of 10 Greeks want the country to go back to its national currency, and 75 per cent of Greeks want the Euro. |
| When the Greek PM addressed the nation he used a recently released IMF report which calls for a debt haircut to argue his cause. “The report is a vindication,” said Mr Tsipras. “This report was missing from the institutions’ proposal [and] vindicates our choice to not accept a deal which bypasses this crucial debt issue.” | When the Greek PM addressed the nation he used a recently released IMF report which calls for a debt haircut to argue his cause. “The report is a vindication,” said Mr Tsipras. “This report was missing from the institutions’ proposal [and] vindicates our choice to not accept a deal which bypasses this crucial debt issue.” |
| Former friend and political rival Andreas Papadopoulos. who first met the Greek leader in 2000 said the young leader’s insistence to hold a referendum stems from his ideology and lack of plan. “He’s trapped in his ideology, incompetence and complete lack of plan. That’s why the government is completely shifting from one plan to another,” he said. | Former friend and political rival Andreas Papadopoulos. who first met the Greek leader in 2000 said the young leader’s insistence to hold a referendum stems from his ideology and lack of plan. “He’s trapped in his ideology, incompetence and complete lack of plan. That’s why the government is completely shifting from one plan to another,” he said. |
| “He’s smart and has morals but he has never lived abroad so he doesn’t understand how other countries work and has no examples. He’s caught in the microcosm of Greece.” | “He’s smart and has morals but he has never lived abroad so he doesn’t understand how other countries work and has no examples. He’s caught in the microcosm of Greece.” |
| His colleagues, however, have another vision of the young leader. “He’s not gambling it all, he’s a realist who refuses to implement policies that will mathematically reduce the quality of life of pensioners and Greeks overall,” said Costas Zachariades, a SYRIZA official who also met Tsipras back in 2000, when he signed up to the left-wing youth movement of SYRIZA’s predecessor. | His colleagues, however, have another vision of the young leader. “He’s not gambling it all, he’s a realist who refuses to implement policies that will mathematically reduce the quality of life of pensioners and Greeks overall,” said Costas Zachariades, a SYRIZA official who also met Tsipras back in 2000, when he signed up to the left-wing youth movement of SYRIZA’s predecessor. |
| The capital controls and ensuing anxiety has been instrumental in the “Yes” campaign, as are fears of an exit from the Euro. On Friday afternoon, Greece’s finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, deputy Prime Minister Yannis Dragasakis held a meeting with the senior managers of six Greek lending institutions. Concerns over a haircut on deposits grew in Greece, the memories of the 2013 bail-in at the banks in neighbour Cyprus. | The capital controls and ensuing anxiety has been instrumental in the “Yes” campaign, as are fears of an exit from the Euro. On Friday afternoon, Greece’s finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, deputy Prime Minister Yannis Dragasakis held a meeting with the senior managers of six Greek lending institutions. Concerns over a haircut on deposits grew in Greece, the memories of the 2013 bail-in at the banks in neighbour Cyprus. |
| In an interview on Thursday, the country’s PM sought to allay those fears. "Our absolute priority is in every case to ensure the citizens' deposits in the banks and achieve a result in these negotiations as soon as possible,” Alexis Tsipras said. | In an interview on Thursday, the country’s PM sought to allay those fears. "Our absolute priority is in every case to ensure the citizens' deposits in the banks and achieve a result in these negotiations as soon as possible,” Alexis Tsipras said. |
| According to polls which surveyed some 1000 people across the country, 41.5 percent of Greeks would support the new bailout measures to avoid an exit from the Eurozone (AP) | |
| The outcome of Sunday’s referendum will have important repercussions on Greece’s political landscape. A “No” vote is very likely to reinforce Tsipras administration in government although it will make a deal more elusive. European officials have reportedly lost all trust in his administration. If Greeks however rally behind the “Yes,” there will be developments within the SYRIZA-led government. Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis reiterated he would resign and although the PM has also hinted he would step down, SYRIZA officials think the scenario is highly unlikely. | The outcome of Sunday’s referendum will have important repercussions on Greece’s political landscape. A “No” vote is very likely to reinforce Tsipras administration in government although it will make a deal more elusive. European officials have reportedly lost all trust in his administration. If Greeks however rally behind the “Yes,” there will be developments within the SYRIZA-led government. Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis reiterated he would resign and although the PM has also hinted he would step down, SYRIZA officials think the scenario is highly unlikely. |
| The 40-year old leader will only step down after a crushing defeat. A cabinet reshuffle though is very likely after Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said that in such a case he would step down. “By my own choice, I will no longer Finance Minister in such a case. I will respect the people’s verdict and won’t do anything to prevent the signing of a non-sustainable, appalling deal promoted by the institutions,” Mr Varoufakis said in an interview with local Agora newspaper. | The 40-year old leader will only step down after a crushing defeat. A cabinet reshuffle though is very likely after Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said that in such a case he would step down. “By my own choice, I will no longer Finance Minister in such a case. I will respect the people’s verdict and won’t do anything to prevent the signing of a non-sustainable, appalling deal promoted by the institutions,” Mr Varoufakis said in an interview with local Agora newspaper. |
| In the small chance PM Tsipras resigns, the President will successively ask the country’s two main opposition leaders, conservative Antonis Samaras first, followed by far-right Nikos Mihaloliakos if the former fails, to form national unity governments. If both leaders fail to do so, then the President calls on three leaders in a last-ditch effort to form a national unity government. If the leaders disagree, a caretaker government is then appointed to lead the country until new elections are called, most likely in September, as the Parliament closes for summer recess in August. | In the small chance PM Tsipras resigns, the President will successively ask the country’s two main opposition leaders, conservative Antonis Samaras first, followed by far-right Nikos Mihaloliakos if the former fails, to form national unity governments. If both leaders fail to do so, then the President calls on three leaders in a last-ditch effort to form a national unity government. If the leaders disagree, a caretaker government is then appointed to lead the country until new elections are called, most likely in September, as the Parliament closes for summer recess in August. |
| But cracks in the coalition government have already started appearing. On Thursday, four Independent Greeks MPs from the ruling coalition openly distanced themselves from the government line saying they’ll vote for a “yes” on Sunday. | But cracks in the coalition government have already started appearing. On Thursday, four Independent Greeks MPs from the ruling coalition openly distanced themselves from the government line saying they’ll vote for a “yes” on Sunday. |
| Greek Communist Party supporters outside the Federation of Greek Industries. They are campaigning for a "NO" vote (AFP) | |
| “The presence of our country in the euro is a one-way road, not only for economic reasons but also for national reasons,” said Dimitris Kammenos. “A referendum makes sense when its conditions don’t cause [national] division,” he added, urging the government to return to the negotiating table. | “The presence of our country in the euro is a one-way road, not only for economic reasons but also for national reasons,” said Dimitris Kammenos. “A referendum makes sense when its conditions don’t cause [national] division,” he added, urging the government to return to the negotiating table. |
| Mr Kammenos said he was unaware that capital controls would ensue the referendum while others suggested Europe could force Greece out of the Euro if a “No” vote prevailed. The right-wing MPs' decision was followed by a statement from 16 retired senior military officers, including generals and admirals. | Mr Kammenos said he was unaware that capital controls would ensue the referendum while others suggested Europe could force Greece out of the Euro if a “No” vote prevailed. The right-wing MPs' decision was followed by a statement from 16 retired senior military officers, including generals and admirals. |
| Former chiefs of the country’s national defence argued Greece’s position is inherently within Europe. “Greece is and should remain a protagonist in European affairs. Greece is Europe,” read the statement. “All Greeks must be “united above party lines and confrontation…in addressing the situation with calm and national unity.” | Former chiefs of the country’s national defence argued Greece’s position is inherently within Europe. “Greece is and should remain a protagonist in European affairs. Greece is Europe,” read the statement. “All Greeks must be “united above party lines and confrontation…in addressing the situation with calm and national unity.” |