Greek PM wants a party leaders’ meeting to achieve consensus, but opposition isn’t impressed

The party leaders’ meeting will likely take place on Saturday

Party leaders of Greek Parliament viewed the initiative of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to hold a meeting of party leaders with suspicion. The PM called Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Thursday, calling for a meeting to brief leaders on the refugee crisis and pension system reforms, however opposition parties are cautious and reserved regarding the meeting.

The main opposition New Democracy party, facing internal friction following its failure to elect a leader on Sunday, is waiting for an official invitation. Caretaker conservative leader Yiannis Plakiotis has started a round of meetings with ND candidates so as to ascertain what the party line will be.

Socialist PASOK leader Fofi Gennimata has yet to make an official statement regarding her thoughts on the invitation, prefering to wait for it to come before commenting.

Centrist To Potami leader posted on Facebook that his party would be represented at the meeting without fake hopes as he is aware that Tsipras merely wishes to repeat the same scenario, a blank check agreement as had been the case with his bailout deal. “We said that the country should be saved with a reduction of the party state and he added new taxes, leaving guilds and interests untouched. Only you can’t pull the same scam twice. At least with the same people,” wrote Theodorakis.

The Greek Communist Party (KKE) has already stated its unwillingness to participate in a meeting that creates a “pseudo-climate of consensus” and fake unanimity concerning the fast-track procedures required for crushing austerity measures to be pushed through.

On the part of the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) ruling party, the goal of the meeting is to listen to the proposals of all parties on key issues such as social security so as to achieve consensus that would strenthen Greece’s negotiating position.