Tsipras points towards elections

In his speech in parliament, SYRIZA president Alexis Tsipras pointed towards elections, as he did not achieve an agreement with ND and PASOK about forming a government. So tomorrow, Thursday, he too, like Samaras, will return the exploratory mandate given by president of the Republic Karolos Papoulias.

 

"Tomorrow morning we will return the mandate to the President of the Republic. The vision of a Left government cannot be realized. New Democracy and PASOK, the two parties of the memorandum, speak the language of the gambler. Venizelos and Samaras are bluffing," he said about the fruitless meetings he had with the two political leaders.

 

Tsipras began his speech by stressing the historicity of the moment. "We hold in our hands an historic opportunity for Greece and Europe, the opportunity to overturn the austerity programs. We utilized the exploratory mandate to the extent of our capabilities. The mandate of the people is for immediate disengagement from the memorandum. We will not betray or abandon the people."

 

The SYRIZA president said that since the mandate of the people is for disengagement from the memorandum there will be "no austerity measures in June, July and after, but an immediate return of the minimum wage. We need to change the electoral law, to go to a simple proportional representation."

 

Regarding his views on memorandum II, Tsipras commented that "those who guaranteed the implementation of the second loan agreement must realize that their signatures are not binding on the Greek people because the people were unaware and the only force that can guarantee their wages and pensions is that which seeks to eliminate the memorandum."

 

Regarding the setting up of a Left-wing government, Tsipras said that "the Greek people gave us great power, but not enough for a Left-wing government", commenting on how if the parties of the left had participated in the elections as a unified power, then they would not be at this dead end.

 

"If we had joined Kouvelis before the elections, whose support we now have, we would not have arrived here. We regret Papariga's refusal to speak with us, now that it is possible to subvert this storm. It is a heavy historical responsibility assumed by the Communist Party, but we will not stop trying to communicate," Tsipras said.

 

"Our proposal has broad social support but weak parliamentary support. Venizelos raised the dilemma between memorandum implementation or repeat elections. Tomorrow we will return the exploratory mandate. Let everyone accept their responsibilities."

 

Finally, Alexis Tsipras said that following the return of the exploratory mandate, SYRIZA will be present in the procedures.