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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-05-24
CONTENTS
[01] Chountis: 'We want an agreement but are prepared for any outcome'
[02] Lafazanis: The creditors are engaging in 'open blackmail'
[01] Chountis: 'We want an agreement but are prepared for any outcome'
ANA-MPA -- The government and the prime minister are prepared for a new
agreement but also for every possible outcome, Alternate Foreign Minister
for European Affairs Nikos Chountis said on Sunday, in an interview
with the ANA-MPA. He also warned that Greece will not be able to pay
the next installment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in June,
unless it received loans that have been withheld since August 2014.
"The Greek government is determined to remain faithful to its promises
and its programme. Our main weapon is the support of the people. In
every case we will seek an agreement-solution that is also beneficial
for a Europe of justice and democracy. Otherwise we are ready for every
possibility, defending the interests of the Greek people and the prospects
of the country," Chountis said when asked to make a prediction for the
immediate future. Among others, the minister expressed the opinion
that the negotiation was "political" and that this had been confirmed
by the results of the prime minister's meetings on the sidelines of the
EU summit in Riga with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President
Francois Hollande and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
"The statements of the leaders that they will do whatever they can
to achieve an agreement confirm that the problem will be resolved
on a political level and this is encouraging," he said. A second
element arising from the talks in Riga was general awareness that time
was running out and any further delay in resolving the issues under
negotiation will have repercussions in every direction, Chountis said.
"To be more exact, I refer to the fact that we were recently faced with
the dilemma over whether we could pay an installment to the IMF. And
I will tell you honestly that at the start of June, unless there is
a disbursement of delayed loan tranches to Greece - which are 3.5
billion euros from the IMF, 1.5 billion and 1.9 billion euros from the
deductions of the European Central Bank (ECB) bonds and 1.2-1.8 billion
euros from the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) - unless there
is a disbursement of at least this tranche that has delayed since August,
then the Greek government has said that its priority will be to pay wages
and pensions." According to the minister, it was now clear from the
talks that the two sides must go to a "solution-agreement" whose scope
went beyond the next tranche of loans or batch of memorandum measures
but addressed the fundamental issues of the debt and how to boost growth.
[02] Lafazanis: The creditors are engaging in 'open blackmail'
ANA-MPA -- Addressing SYRIZA's Central Committee meeting on Sunday,
Productive Reconstruction Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis accused Greece's
creditors of "the harshest, open blackmail" in their handling of the
negotiations with the Greek government.
The head of SYRIZA's Left Platform, Lafazanis strongly criticised the
European officials and said the "smiles conceal the reality". He called
for an agreement that was in line with SYRIZA's programme, saying
the voters had asked for the abolition of the memorandums and that
the creditors' goal was a breakdown in the talks and to "exterminate
the government and the country." In this case, Lafazanis added, the
government needed an alternative plan and to counterattack. He also
expressed opposition to privatisations on ideological grounds, saying
they would not help to reduce fiscal deficits. He said the government
needed a plan in case it was unable to pay its creditors and in this
framework must start to prepare the people about what may happen next.
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