Commenting on the ongoing negotiations with the creditor institutions to wrap up the review of the Greek economic program, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in an interview with the state broadcaster ERT broadcast on Saturday night, that the goal of concluding this by Easter was feasible.
“Everyone has understood, the international economic community and the Greek people, that Greece is at the end of a difficult adjustment,” he said, predicting that Easter Resurrection mass will also bring a revival of Greece’s economy without any additional measures.
Tsipras noted that the agreement signed with the creditors in July 2015 had not called for further salary cuts or lay-offs but a much gentler adjustment that was one tenth that imposed by previous governments.
“We will keep to the letter of the agreement and the letter of the agreement did not call for cuts to main pensions so there will be no cuts,” he added.
He denied that Greece was “isolated” internationally, noting that the visit by the three prelates had proved this with respect to the refugee crisis. A recent White House announcement about U.S. President Barack Obama’s trip to Germany, which said the Greek crisis would be among the top issues discussed, also proved it for the economic crisis, Tsipras added, as was the European Central Bank’s (ECB) decision to include Greek banks in quantitative easing.
The Greek people were like a runner near the end of the race, Tsipras concluded: “We have covered 90 percent of the distance and the last 10 percent remains, but the fatigue is great. This 10 percent is perhaps the most difficult but we must all understand that the finish line is in sight.”
(source: ana-mpa)
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