Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has probably reached his political nadir on Sunday night, when the MPs of his party and those of junior coalition partner ANEL voted for the harshest austerity measures Greeks are to suffer since the onset of the economic crisis six years ago.
To add insult to injury, the slim coalition majority celebrated the passing of the bills and congratulated themselves, claiming that any other government would have done worse.
The prime minister also reached new heights in audacity by telling the plenary — and Greek people, as the session was televised — that he never lied and that he had the illusion that he and SYRIZA lawmakers can save Greece.
“You can accuse us for having illusions, not for lying to you,” he said, amid raucous laughter from the opposition seats. Needless to say that within hours his statement became viral in social media.
Tsipras also spoke of sincerity, integrity, honesty, humanity, solidarity and other values that his administration supposedly showed during the 15 or so months of his rule. All this from the man who came to power on the pledge that he will abolish all bailout memoranda obligations and end austerity “with one bill” in parliament.
So, the man who promised Greeks that he will abolish the single property tax, alleviate taxes, raise wages and pensions, put an end to poverty and bring the Greek economy to the path of growth, is now telling them that all was not a big fat lie, but an illusion.
The Greek prime minister admits he has illusions, then, he confesses he is disengaged from reality in other words. Does that make him fit to run a country?
Tsipras’ statement came before he continued to lie to everyone who has ears. His continuous backflips and efforts to present black like it is white makes Donald Trump sound like a colossus of solid political thinking.
For instance, he said that main pensions remained intact and he called that a triumph of his government and the negotiating team. This was partly true. However, he left out the part where his labor minister butchered supplementary pensions. He also left out, that for the vast majority of pensioners in a country where every profession and craft have their own security fund, the sum of supplementary pensions is much larger than the main pension.
The prime minister came just an inch away from repeating the famous Richard Nixon quote — “I am not a crook” — during his speech. But for those who follow Greek politics, his deputy labor minister Theano Fotiou said it best when she was cornered by reporters a few months ago. When they told her that the SYRIZA cabinet are doing the opposite of what they had pledged to do before the elections, she answered: “What are we, crooks? Is that what you are implying?”
After Sunday night’s tsunami of lies uttered in Greek Parliament, when all 153 coalition MPs voted for austerity measures they had previously claimed to detest, the implication is now a certainty.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
