Tsipras: ‘Debt Will Be On the Table’
In his statement yesterday after the referendum, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras made clear the nation has achieved a victory, is united and ready to take up the real issue, the debt. On Monday, July 6, Tspiras and his Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, of the Independent Greeks, held a meeting with opposition party leaders to seek support for a debt agreement. Tsipras’s statement said in part:
“Given the adverse conditions that prevailed last week, you made a very brave choice today. However, I am fully aware that the mandate you’ve given me is not to break with Europe, but rather to strengthen our bargaining power to achieve a sustainable agreement. With social justice, with prospects for our future and an end to the vicious cycle of austerity…
“The Greek people answered the question: What kind of Europe do we want? Their brave reply: we want a Europe of solidarity and democracy.
“Starting tomorrow, Greece will be at the negotiating table. Our immediate priority is to quickly restore our banking system’s functioning and our economic stability….
“Now, too, the issue of our debt will be on the negotiating table in light of the IMF’s recent report on its sustainability. This report wasn’t introduced earlier; it was absent from the negotiations until the day before yesterday. It confirms the Greek position that debt restructuring is necessary to reach a final sustainable solution to end the crisis, both for Greece and for the Europe.”
Greek Defense Minister and leader of coalition partner, Independent Greeks, Panos Kammenos issued a statement saying, “The Greek people have proven that they cannot be blackmailed, terrorized, and threatened.”
On Monday morning, July 6, Tsipras and Kammenos convened a meeting at the office of President Prokopis Pavlopoulos of all party leaders except the fascist Golden Dawn. These included New Democracy temporary leader Evangelos Meimarakis (following the resignation of Antonis Samaras), To Potami leader Stavros Theodorakis, Communist Party (KKE ) Secretary General Dimitris Koutsoumbas, and Pasok leader Fofi Gennimata.
Following six hours of meetings, all parties present except the Communist Party, signed a statement in support of the government effort to reach a deal on Greece’s debt, which reads in part:
The “common goal” they agreed to includes securing sufficient financing for Greece, a strong growth program to combat unemployment, and finally, a meaningful discussion to deal with Greece’s debt sustainability.
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