Posts
Prime
Minister Alexis Tsipras’ message
Greek
citizens,
We
are at a critical juncture regarding the future of this country.
Sunday’s
referendum is not about whether our country will stay in the
Eurozone.
This
is a given and no one should question this.
On
Sunday we will choose whether to accept the institutions’ agreement
or whether, with the strength of the people’s verdict, we will seek
a viable solution.
In
any case, I want to reassure the Greek people of government’s firm
intention to reach an agreement with its partners, with conditions
that are sustainable and will provide for the long-term.
Since
we announced our decision to hold a referendum, better proposals have
been offered concerning the debt and its necessary restructuring than
those that were on the table on Friday.
We
did not ignore them. We immediately submitted our counterproposals
asking for a viable solution, and for this reason an extraordinary
Eurogroup meeting was convened yesterday, which will continue this
afternoon.
Should
there be a positive outcome, we will respond immediately. In any
case, the Greek government remains willing to negotiate and will do
so until an agreement is reached. The government will be at the
negotiating table on Monday as well, immediately after the
referendum, seeking better terms for the Greek people.
A
popular verdict is always so much stronger than the will of a
government alone. And I would like to reiterate that democratic
choice is a core European tradition. During very important moments in
European history, the people have made important decisions through
referenda.
This
happened in France, and in many other countries, concerning the
referendum on the European constitution. This happened in Ireland,
where the referendum temporarily voided the Treaty of Lisbon and led
to a renegotiation, that resulted in better terms for Ireland.
Unfortunately, in Greece’s case, we’ve been subjected to
different standards.
Personally,
I would have never expected that democratic Europe would not
understand the need to give some space and time to a people to
sovereignly make a choice about their future.
The
prevalence of extreme conservative forces led to the decision to
asphyxiate our country’s banks–with the obvious aim of
blackmailing not just the government, but each each citizen
individually.
It
is unacceptable in a Europe of solidarity and mutual respect to have
these disgraceful images:
For
the banks to be closed, exactly because the government decided to
give the people the opportunity to express their will;
And
for thousands of elderly people to be deeply inconvenienced. However,
the Greek government, despite the financial asphyxiation, took the
appropriate measures and made sure that pensions were paid and
deposited into the accounts.
We
owe an explanation to these people who have been so inconvenienced:
We
have been fighting all these months in order to protect your
pensions.
To
protect your right to a decent pension and not a miserly “tip”.
The
proposals that they tried to blackmail us in order to accept demanded
huge pension reductions.
And
we refused to go along with this.
And
this is why they are retaliating today.
The
Greek government was given an ultimatum to implement exactly the same
austerity measures, and all the outstanding aspects of the memorandum
that had not been implemented.
And,
in fact, without any provisions on the debt and financing.
This
ultimatum was not accepted.
The
self-evident alternative was to reach out to the people.
And
this is what we have done.
I
am well aware that during this period the sirens of destruction have
been blaring.
They
are trying to blackmail you as well, and ask that you vote YES on all
the measures requested by the institutions, without any prospect of
exiting the crisis.
They
want you to side with those in Parliament who have repeatedly said
YES to all the measures that have burdened the country.
To
become one with them.
Complicit
in perpetuating the memoranda.
It
is important to understand, NO is not just a slogan.
NO
is a decisive step towards a better deal that we aim to be signed
immediately after Sunday’s result.
It
constitutes the clear choice of the people concerning how their lives
will be going forward.
NO
does not mean breaking with Europe, but rather, returning to a Europe
of values.
NO
means: strong pressure for an economically viable agreement that will
solve the debt issue, that will not increase the debt so that it
continuously undermines our efforts to rebuild the Greek economy and
society.
A
socially just agreement that will allocate the burdens to those that
can shoulder them, and not the workers and the pensioners.
An
agreement that will allow the country, in a short period of time, to
access the international financial markets, and thus end the
supervision and guardianship.
An
agreement containing reforms that will punish, once and for all,
those who enable corruption and that have been fueling the political
system all these years.
And
at the same time, it will address the humanitarian crisis, create a
comprehensive safety net for those who are marginalized–precisely
because of the policies that have been implemented in our country for
so many years.
Greek
citizens,
I
am fully aware of the difficulties.
I
personally pledge that I will do everything possible so that these
difficulties are temporary.
Some
insist on linking the referendum’s result to the country staying in
the euro.
They
claim that I have a hidden agenda, if the NO vote prevails, to remove
the country from the EU.
They
are knowingly lying.
These
are same people who used to say the very same thing in the past.
And
they do a great disservice to the people and to Europe.
As
you are aware, a year ago during the European elections, I was a
candidate for the Presidency of the European Commission.
I
stood before the Europeans then, just as now, and I argued that
austerity policies must stop, that the memoranda will not lead to an
end to the crisis.
That
the program implemented in Greece failed.
That
Europe must stop behaving in an undemocratic manner.
A
few months later, in January 2015, the Greek people confirmed these
sentiments.
Unfortunately,
certain people in Europe refuse to understand this, refuse to admit
this.
Those
who want a Europe of authoritarianism that fails to respect
democracy, those who wish for Europe to be a superficial union with
the IMF being the “glue” that binds, are not visionaries for
Europe.
They
are timid politicians, unable to think as Europeans.
They
stand side by side with those in our domestic political system, who
are responsible for leading our country to bankruptcy, and that now
have the gall to attempt to dump the burden on us–even as we’ve
been trying to put an end to the country’s course of destruction.
They
dream, indeed, of being restored to power.
This
is what they’ve been hoping for—and still hope for, irrespective
of whether we accepted the ultimatum–as they have blatantly sought
an unelected Prime Minister who would implement it– or whether we
gave our people the opportunity to express their will.
They
talk of a coup. But democracy is not a coup. Unelected governments
intent on manipulating circumstances—that is a coup.
Greek
citizens,
I
want to wholeheartedly thank you for the calmness and composure
you’ve shown during every hour of this difficult week.
I
want to assure you that this situation will not drag on.
It
will be temporary.
Salaries
and pensions will not be lost.
The
deposits of citizens who did not withdraw their money or place it
abroad will not be sacrificed on the altar of expediency and
extortion.
I
personally assume responsibility for reaching a solution immediately
after the democratic process.
I
urge you to strengthen this negotiating effort with your support, I
invite you to say NO to the memorandum measures that are destroying
Europe.
I
invite you to respond positively to the prospect of a viable
solution.
To
turn a page, that calls for upholding democracy.
With
the certain hope that we will reach a better deal.
We
owe this to our parents, our children, ourselves.
It
is our duty. We owe this to history.
Thank
you.
The following is an English translation of the referendum question circulating on Twitter
The Greek Analyst
The ballot paper of the #greferendum question upon which the Greek people are called to vote on. (Translated)
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