Tsipras: The countries of the South cannot repay their debt

Austerity measures and the debt are not sustainable, Alexis Tsipras said from Portugal after the meeting with the leadership of the trade union CGTP-IN, insisting that the only solution will come through a generous debt relief for the entire European region.

Asked whether the debt should be repaid, Tsipras responded that "nobody in the world believes that Greece, Portugal and Spain can pay off the entire debt. It is impossible and if anyone tells you they can, then they are lying."

 

He also said that if there is no summit to restructure the debt of the European region countries "the unity of the eurozone and the euro as our common currency will be unable to survive." Responding to a question about how the southern European countries will regain Germany’s respect, he invoked the Keynes’ dictum "the problem is not only with the one who must pay a lot of money which he borrowed from others, but also with the one who lent it and wants to get it back."

 

He talked about joint strikes, joint demonstrations and initiatives such as the anti-summit organized by social movements in Athens in June.

 

Lastly, for the German compensation (WW 2) he said it is "the historical and moral obligation of Germany."