Greece to hold referendum on bailout, Tsipras says

[The Feral Underclass]

Greece will hold a referendum on 5 July controversial bailout deal with foreign creditors, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has announced.

In a speech on national TV, he said his government had been asked to accept "unbearable" austerity measures.

Greece earlier rejected an offer from the creditors which could have helped the country to avoid defaulting on its debt.

Greece has to make a €1.5bn ($1.7bn; £1.06bn) IMF debt repayment on 30 June.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33296839

[Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages]

Hopefully the greeks will just try to burn parliament down again instead

[The Feral Underclass]

"Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras has called a referendum on Sunday 5 July on whether the country should accept or reject a bailout agreement offered by creditors.

Analysis Greeks mistrust EU, EC, ECB – but retain some faith in the euro
John Hooper in Athens

“These proposals, which clearly violate the European rules and the basic rights to work, equality and dignity show that the purpose of some of the partners and institutions was not a viable agreement for all parties, but possibly the humiliation of an entire people,” Tsipras said in a televised address to the nation.

He made the comments hours after flying back from Brussels, where European and International Monetary Fund creditors offered Greece a deal that his government rejected as inadequate.

Athens will ask for an extension of its bailout agreement, which ends on 30 June, by a few days in light of the referendum, he said."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...d-by-creditors

[Comrade Jacob]

Tsipras needs to say "fuck you EU", leave, smash capitalism and then go to bed.

[Rafiq]

Leaving the EU is among the worst possible outcomes. Regardless of the well-intentioned Syriza, subordination of Greece to the Russian sphere of influence would most certainly destroy anything redeemable about it.

[lutraphile]

This is great news. Hope the KKE can rethink their position on Syriza. The left as a whole has a real opportunity here if its most orthodox constituents can find it in their hearts to be a part of it

I want to see a flash poll and see how it's looking.

[Tim Cornelis]

Hopefully the greeks will just try to burn parliament down again instead

That never happened.

[The Feral Underclass]

Sasha had some good analysis on FB. He should repost it here.

I think this whole saga has been interesting if not simply because it has neatly exposed the Troika for the ideologically motivated racketeers that they really are.

[Sasha]

you mean this?

(after Sentinel asking whether this was likely planned)

i think they where planning on doing this, everything they have been doing the last months their priority has been getting as much as possible euro's in cash into the country so that even when they have to default and leave the euro they, and more importantly, the people, have enough "stable" currency to survive the worst of the hit.
because obviously their euro's are still valid euro's even after they leave the euro itself.

[The Feral Underclass]

you mean this?

Yeah. I had never really considered that. To be honest, I was convinced Tsipras was going to eventually accept the terms of the demands and that all this negotiation, rhetoric and back-and-forths was just bluster to try and mitigate the inevitable fall out that would come back in Greece.

I must admit, I'm fairly surprised.

[Sasha]

I had an inkling, for all the shit marxists e.a. give to "activists" for never being able to govern i guess treating at least an "shorttime" issue like this as an activist campaing (syriza's background) isnt that weird.
They knew they would probably never come to an acceptable agreement, they know that push comes to shove there is a good chance the greek people will rather vote to devault and leave the euro (industry is already destroyed, default and a return to the dragme will in the end be good for tourism, makes them compatitive with turkey again) so their whole game has been on a. Showing their demands are reasonable and those of the trojka are not b. Win as much time and cash to get a huge amount of cash euro's in the streets, if they where not seriously considering a default and euro exit they would have capped cash withdrawels or even closed the banks weeks ago, not there are billions of euro's cash in cirqulation on the greek streets, if they default and leave the euro they are in no way forced to stop accepting euro's as currency, they just cant print new ones, so they will have a reasonable bridge to get to a new situation.

[FSL]

The government is saying that an exit from the eurozone is not on the table, that only Schauble and his greek minions say that this is what's at stake. They're saying they want a no vote they'll take back to the negotiating table to get the troika to agree with its previous proposal.
Everyone in the government, even the left platform says that en exit from the eurozone is Schauble's wish and that they're passioantely against it.

The pro eu parties say that the question, no matter what it is, will end up being "yes or no to the euro"

The communist party suggested a referendum with 2 questions, first being "Do you reject the agreement proposals set forth from the institutions and the government?" and the second being "Are you in favour of an exit from the EU and of cancelling all the memorandum laws?"

[Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages]

That never happened.

It's a joke. The point is that the last time the left largely recognized that an EU referendum was just a nasty trick the state was playing with the greeks. Now that it's coming from Syriza I guess we can all get on board though.

[Sasha]

the speech;

An End to the Blackmail



For six months now the Greek government has been waging a battle in conditions of unprecedented economic suffocation to implement the mandate you gave us on January 25.
The mandate we were negotiating with our partners was to end the austerity and to allow prosperity and social justice to return to our country.
It was a mandate for a sustainable agreement that would respect both democracy and common European rules and lead to the final exit from the crisis.
Throughout this period of negotiations, we were asked to implement the agreements concluded by the previous governments with the Memoranda, although they were categorically condemned by the Greek people in the recent elections.
However, not for a moment did we think of surrendering, that is to betray your trust.
After five months of hard bargaining, our partners, unfortunately, issued at the Eurogroup the day before yesterday an ultimatum to Greek democracy and to the Greek people. An ultimatum that is contrary to the founding principles and values of Europe, the values of our common European project.
They asked the Greek government to accept a proposal that accumulates a new unsustainable burden on the Greek people and undermines the recovery of the Greek economy and society, a proposal that not only perpetuates the state of uncertainty but accentuates social inequalities even more.
The proposal of institutions includes: measures leading to further deregulation of the labor market, pension cuts, further reductions in public sector wages and an increase in VAT on food, dining and tourism, while eliminating tax breaks for the Greek islands.
These proposals directly violate the European social and fundamental rights: they show that concerning work, equality and dignity, the aim of some of the partners and institutions is not a viable and beneficial agreement for all parties but the humiliation the entire Greek people.
These proposals mainly highlight the insistence of the IMF in the harsh and punitive austerity and make more timely than ever the need for the leading European powers to seize the opportunity and take initiatives which will finally bring to a definitive end the Greek sovereign debt crisis, a crisis affecting other European countries and threatening the very future of European integration.
Fellow Greeks, right now weighs on our shoulders the historic responsibility towards the struggles and sacrifices of the Greek people for the consolidation of democracy and national sovereignty. Our responsibility for the future of our country.
And this responsibility requires us to answer the ultimatum on the basis of the sovereign will of the Greek people.
A short while ago at the cabinet meeting I suggested the organization of a referendum, so that the Greek people are able to decide in a sovereign way. The suggestion was unanimously accepted.
Tomorrow the House of Representatives will be urgently convened to ratify the proposal of the cabinet for a referendum next Sunday, July 5 on the question of the acceptance or the rejection of the proposal of institutions.
I have already informed about my decision the president of France and the chancellor of Germany, the president of the ECB, and tomorrow my letter will formally ask the EU leaders and institutions to extend for a few days the current program in order for the Greek people to decide, free from any pressure and blackmail, as required by the constitution of our country and the democratic tradition of Europe.
Fellow Greeks, to the blackmailing of the ultimatum that asks us to accept a severe and degrading austerity without end and without any prospect for a social and economic recovery, I ask you to respond in a sovereign and proud way, as the history of the Greek people commands.
To authoritarianism and harsh austerity, we will respond with democracy, calmly and decisively.
Greece, the birthplace of democracy will send a resounding democratic response to Europe and the world.
I am personally committed to respect the outcome of your democratic choice, whatever that is. And I’m absolutely confident that your choice will honor the history of our country and send a message of dignity to the world.
In these critical moments, we all have to remember that Europe is the common home of peoples. That in Europe there are no owners and guests. Greece is and will remain an integral part of Europe and Europe is an integral part of Greece. But without democracy, Europe will be a Europe without identity and without a compass.
I invite you all to display national unity and calm in order to take the right decisions. For us, for future generations, for the history of the Greeks. For the sovereignty and dignity of our people.


— Athens, June 27, 2015, 1 AM local time.

[Tim Cornelis]

The majority of Greeks are now for accepting a bailout and the conditions that go with it, so I think the referendum is just a way to divert responsibility, "the people have spoken [in favour of imposed austerity], our hands are tied".

[The Feral Underclass]

How do you know the "majority" of people want this?

[Tim Cornelis]

saw it on the news, they did a poll I'm guessing.

[Sasha]

The majority of Greeks are now for accepting a bailout and the conditions that go with it, so I think the referendum is just a way to divert responsibility, "the people have spoken [in favour of imposed austerity], our hands are tied".

if this was their game they would be stupid to actively encourage a "NO" vote like the government has done in each speech since yesterday, they would have adopted way more neutral language, i think they are banking on a no vote and then either default or have further negotiations because they think the EU will then reign in the IMF.

[Philosophos]

This is great news. Hope the KKE can rethink their position on Syriza. The left as a whole has a real opportunity here if its most orthodox constituents can find it in their hearts to be a part of it

I want to see a flash poll and see how it's looking.

lol no

KKE actually said something like "say no to the bankers/EE etc and also say no to the government"

[Tim Cornelis]

hmm, maybe for reasons of credibility? It just seems a big gamble. They can already claim to have a mandate to reject it if they want to, pointing to the electoral results and with referendums not being common in Greece that would seem sufficient.

When Varoufakis was only just the new minister of (finance?), it was suggested in the media that he would use his game theory expertise to manipulate negotiations in a grande strategy. That has kinda been falling silent, but I guess if they do have such a strategy, his place and position would make sense...? I dunno.

Time will tell.