Time of Truth for Alexis Tsipras: Euro or Grexit

 

 

By Georgios Protopapas.

 

 

The government of Athens submit a detailed hard proposal in order to stay in euzone. The European lenders will give their own verdict and do not seem to bluff when speak for Grexit. Therefore, the moment of truth approaches and will be revealed who said lies, who was honest and who made negotiations.

The Greek Prime Alexis Tsipras undertakes full responsibilities as a leader of the state. His moves will justify the majority of Greeks who trust him or will justify the political opposition who accuses him for secret plan of Grexit.

The referendum “NO” on July 5 “solves the hands” of the prime minister who has the support of 61.3% of people and is the only powerful ruler in the country. The leaders of the Greek pro – European political parties consent to negotiate a deal in order to remain Greece in euro (within the framework of the joint communiqué issued after their meeting under the President of the Republic).

The referendum disentangled Alexis Tsipras from his party SYRIZA. The new finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos said that “the program of institutions would not be voted in the Parliament and the government could fall, so we decide a referendum.”

SYRIZA contains components such as the Left Platform (its leader the minister of Energy Panagiotis Lafazanis) who intensely advocates the rupture with European lenders. The question of the referendum it was not too clear as the European lenders withdrew their proposal.

The question of the referendum was interpreted from Greek pro-European opposition parties, an important segment of the Greek people and from European lenders, as “YES” in Europe and “NO” Grexit.

Tsipras has the opportunity to disentangle from the anti-European hardliners SYRIZA in order to keep Greece in eurozone. The “NO” made Tsipras powerful in internal political scene as the majority of Greeks trusted him despite capital controls and closed banks. The financial and social deterioration of the country compels the prime- minister to agree (to sign a new hard Memorandum) in order to put an end to insecurity, there are no alternatives. Tsipras has the opportunity now to approve any agreement in parliament with the consent of the pro-European opposition and without the approval of the hardcore SYRIZA MPs.

If the result of referendum was “Yes”, any agreement could pass in the parliament, but the prime minister would lost the support of the citizens and would be hostage on the hands of the Greek pro-European opposition.

The prime minister must try to convince the European leaders for his sincerity. Tsipras negotiating strategy isolated Greece the last five months. The Greek prime – minister received some negative comments at the European Parliament. The German President of the European Popular Party, M. Weber, said he had expected Prime Minister to apologize for calling  (the creditors) terrorists. The German representative of the European Green’s Party, Rebeca Harms Undermining the Greek Prime Ministers’ claim to being a champion of democracy, she noted that “democracy and Putin do not go together.” Guy Verhofstadt, the Belgian representative of the liberal group, ALDE, asked from Prime Minister Tsipras to focus on reforms,

But what is the next step if European lenders say “NO” in Greek proposal? How Alexis Tsipras will cope with Grexit and its tragic effects?

Alexis Tsipras is criticized by political opponents that “has a secret agenda to Grexit, return to national currency.” In this case the reactions of the pro-European political parties and the majority of the Greek people are expected to be hard against SYRIZA government. According to recent poll (from GPO) 74.1% of people want euros, 24.5% Grexit, while 1.4% did not answer.

A Grexit may provokes the reaction from the President of Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos who has told in Real News, that “I will not tolerate to be president in a country outside euro” suggesting that he will intervene if Greece loses its European orientation (If the President resigns we have snap elections).

In the next hours Alexis Tsipras will be judged from the history for his actions. I wish to put into practice his commitment to keep Greece in euro and to justify the expectations of the vast majority of the Greek people. Greece belongs to European Union and  West.

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