After five years of austerity, Greeks torn between weariness rigor and commitment to Europe are on the eve of an uncertain referendum on Sunday that will seal the fate of their government and affect relations with the euro area.
The polling stations open at 7:00 local (0400 GMT), after launching the election campaign as short qu’exaltée which left supporters of yes and no neck and neck in the polls.
Everything is frozen Saturday for this day of political respite, hours after massive mobilizations of each camp in the center of Athens.
The economy, battered after five years of recession despite a slight recovery late 2014, turns idle since the closure of banks Monday, and the imposition of strict capital controls, planned referendum until two days later.
The radical left government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras tries to cover the voices that are concerned about the risk of extension of these provisions unpublished, or an escalation of restrictions.
Pavlos, a retired 72-year-examined before an Athens bank, saw things in “black, very black”: “Here there is money but next week it is likely that there will not. How will people in everyday life? We do not know. “
In a supermarket in Glyfada, the affluent suburb of Athens, some residents appear to have panicked, rushing to the first products necessity: toilet paper, pasta, pulses, condensed milk, whose rays are empty, according to an AFP photographer
On the night of Friday to Saturday, Finance Minister, Yanis. Varoufakis, has cracked a tweet, supported by a Ministry to denounce the “malicious rumors” of a Financial Times article, that the rich Greek investors of more than 8,000 euro bank levy could be 30% of their deposits in order to bail out the banks.
Few focused on understatement, the minister, returned to the center stage in recent weeks, on Saturday accused creditors of Greece ( EU and IMF) “terrorism”, have forced the Greek government to close banks and want to “humiliate the Greeks,” in an interview with Spanish daily El Mundo
-. Political and economic risks –
On Friday night, Yanis Varoufakis was all smiles from over 25,000 supporters of “Oxi” (no) to referendum massed outside parliament to play Alexis Tsipras, who arrived as a rock star through the crowd, which tried one last time to galvanize his compatriots and called them to reject the austerity measures of creditors for “live with dignity in Europe.”
Supporters of “Nai” (yes) were almost as many, according to police, gathered on the other side of Parliament, before the marble stadium of the 1896 Olympic Games, flooded with Greek flags and blue banners with stars of the European Union.
In voting intentions, they are given a short winners head over the last four published polls give the advantage to three yes with little advance of 0.4 to 0.6; a survey places the non leading 0.5 points.
The percentage of undecided voters remains high, like the pangs of Greek society face the choice that is as much about the future of relations the country with the euro area and the stability of the government.
For the executive led by the radical left Syriza, a yes vote would be a repudiation and could open a period of political instability, the economy and the country’s banking system can not afford, even for a short time. And medium term, new austerity measures expected Greece, Syriza provides.
A non victory Sunday would cause a “leap into the unknown”, according to most observers, although the government Tsipras promises an agreement for the following days, strong greater legitimacy. Everything will depend in particular on the attitude of European partners, whose forehead is far from united.
“If the Greeks vote no, the Greek position will be considerably weakened,” warned the president Friday the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. But the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, called on the EU not to dramatize the possibility.
The European leaders want to believe that the Union is strong enough to withstand any turbulence Greek . The president of Italy, Matteo Renzi, repeated Saturday that his country is no longer, as there are three or four years, the “fellow sufferer” of Greece and the Italians “must not be afraid” negative effects “. This crisis
The fear of being ostracized hugged Yannis, 25, one of the participants of the rally Friday yes:” For our generation, if the yes prevails we will have to leave the euro. “
European supporters of the Greek left showed their solidarity at several rallies this week. On Saturday, they were hundreds in London and Dublin. A rally was planned in Barcelona in the evening.
The German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble assured that even if the yes vote, the resumption of negotiations “take a while”, far from the certainties of Yanis Varoufakis ” completely and absolutely convinced “that” whatever the outcome of the referendum on Monday there will be an agreement “because” Europe needs an agreement and Greece needs an agreement. “
07/04/2015 7:05:29 p.m. – Athens (AFP) – By Sophie MAKRIS – AFP © 2015
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