Tsipras between hammer and anvil to avoid bankruptcy – Expression

For many activists of Syriza, including the government, the prime minister should even hold early parliamentary elections rather than accept new austerity measures.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras pledged in double showdown with international creditors and the hard wing of his party, as he urgently needs to reach an agreement to prevent his country is found in default. Athens has surprised this week by not honoring its debt maturities and opting for reimbursement once by the end of the month of 1.6 billion euros due in June at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) . This however leaves little time for the Prime Minister at the time, reaching agreement with creditors and convince the most radical leaders of his party, Syriza.
Greece, the IMF and the European Union ( EU) are opposed for weeks on an austerity reform plan, which determines the release of 7.2 billion remaining to be paid since autumn 2014, in the framework of international assistance plan implemented in 2010. In a speech to parliament Friday night M.Tsipras said Athens was “closer than ever” to an agreement with the IMF and the EU. But he also described as “absurd” the demands of creditors.
He wanted to coax the slingers of its radical left party. But it is not certain that they have heard. His comments were in any case been freshly welcomed elsewhere in Europe, while the G7 leaders will discuss Greece at their summit today in Bavaria. Some even accused him of “spit in the soup.” “There is a feeling of weariness and disappointment among the creditors,” said a European source, lamenting tone “very aggressive” in M.Tsipras. Athens has postponed the repayment of € 300 million due this week and the IMF decided to pay the remaining four installments in June once at the end of the month. Greece must collect 1.6 billion euros in three weeks, which seems difficult without an agreement with creditors. But his energy minister, Panagiotis Lafazanis, leading Eurosceptics within Syriza and considered as affecting a third party, ruled out the possibility of an agreement. “It is clear that, given their requirements, there can be no convergence between our government and institutions,” said M.Lafazanis quoted yesterday by the British newspaper The Telegraph. “The ball is now in the other camp,” added the spokesman of the government, Gabriel Sakellaridis, cited by the Greek newspaper Efimerida your Syntakton. “We focus on dialogue, but we will not accept ultimatums.” M.Tsipras Friday called for political union and stated that “it is clear that the Greek government can not in any case accept absurd proposals”. Creditors require that Athens, after five years of austerity, make additional savings of three billion euros and emits primary budget surpluses (excluding debt service) greater than that proposed by the government. Greece would prefer a restructuring of its huge debt, arguing that it would be the only way to revive the economy.
The IMF is in favor. But several European countries, including Germany, are opposed, noting that Athens has already benefited from a reduction of its debt in 2012. M.Tsipras also warned Friday that political “cynical” of asphyxiation Athens would not be without impact. “Those who believe that the punishment of Greece will not affect it are mistaken,” he began. “The bell will ring especially for the countries of southern Europe.”