We didn’t learn a lot from Alexis Tsipras in his highly anticipated television appearance where he answered questions from the host and audience. We learned, though, that he expects a deal with creditors by May 9.
The Greek Prime Minister looked very confident on TV. So confident that if one didn’t know that Greece is on the brink of bankruptcy, he or she would think that he was talking after Greece had signed a superb financial deal that would bring the country hundreds of billions of euros. He was talking as if he was in on a great secret that very few know.
As a true politician, he answered all questions without actually answering. He merely repeated several of his election campaign slogans and assured the audience that nothing is like it seems. He resorted frequently to the two clichés his government adores, “democracy” and “people’s mandate.”
For instance, when asked why cabinet members make statements that contradict one another, he said that the pluralism within the party is known and pluralism of opinion in a government is great for democracy. But when you have one minister saying that we should get out of the euro zone and another reiterating that Greece should be in the common currency bloc, this is not pluralism; it is a disagreement on principle. It gives people mixed signals on where this government stands. It gives lenders mixed signals, as well.
Another point where Tsipras was not clear was when he said that European partners “tricked” him and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis in the February 20th agreement and didn’t hand out any bailout cash. Then he said creditors are blackmailing Greece and are strangulating it financially because they don’t want a leftist government in Europe.
One should remind our Prime Minister that Europe had no problem with the leftist government of Dimitris Christofias in Cyprus who signed the country’s bailout memorandum in 2013. In fact, last month European Central Bank President Mario Draghi stated that Cyprus is getting out of the memorandum sooner than 2016, when it was scheduled.
In other words, Tsipras presented Europe as the big bad wolf ready to devour little Greece. Not fair when the European Commission has pledged 2 billion euros in financial aid to battle the humanitarian crisis.
What the Greek PM failed to clarify is if the European Union are our friends and partners or if they are the ruthless blackmailers he has called them on occasion. This ambiguity is driving everyone crazy, Greeks and Europeans alike. It must be the “creative ambiguity” his friend and finance minister advocates.
The Greek premier also accused anonymous European officials who fought the SYRIZA-led government from day one. He accused the previous conservative government for laying a minefield for the new administration and fighting a dirty war against SYRIZA in collaboration with certain European allies. At the same time, he praised German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her diligence, her organization skills and truthfulness. It should be noted that only a few days ago, Merkel had stated that Germany and Europe will do everything in order to keep Greece in the euro zone.
On the sidelining of Varoufakis and the new negotiation team formed, there was again a lot of ambiguity. Euclides Tsakalotos, the deputy finance minister who will be the coordinator of the Greek team, is an outspoken advocate of the return to the drachma. So, we’re sending an anti-euro official to negotiate Greece’s bailout within the euro zone. One waits to see what would happen.
When it came to the thorny question of snap elections or a referendum, he ruled out elections but he said he would resort to a referendum if creditors’ demands in negotiations were unacceptable. When asked what the subject of the referendum would be, he couldn’t answer.
One thinks that certain SYRIZA top members have the referendum question ready: In or out of Europe. They would hope that people would vote “out,” of course. Tsipras repeated often that he sees Greece as a European Union member, but equally often he referred to European partners as blackmailers and neoliberals who oppose Greek people’s will. One clear answer on what the Greek government truly wants would be the honest thing to do.
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