In an interview to Enikos and Nikos Chatzinikolaou, Alexis Tsipras, the leader of main opposition SYRIZA party, said that the scenario of Greece’s exit from the euro zone is used by the Government in order to terrorize the Greek voters.
During the interview, Mr. Tsipras avoided making major commitments and was especially careful about his statements, keeping his cards close to his chest regarding important issues that will arise after the elections on January 25.
The SYRIZA leader sought primarily to avoid the pitfalls regarding debt and Greece’s relationship with the troika of international lenders, like the issue of his party’s previous stance in relation to the euro.
Asked to comment on his older statement that Greece should not make its euro-zone membership a “fetish,” Mr. Tsipras noted that his party’s new stance is summed up in the phrase “Yes to the euro, no to additional sacrifices”.
More specifically, he said: “Enough with the sacrifices. We say ‘yes’ to the euro, but on the condition that we also have justice, solidarity and democracy. We are entitled to these things and we will claim them. Greece will stay in the euro zone provided that its debt is sustainable and not incontrollable. We say ‘yes’ to the euro and ‘no’ to additional sacrifices of the Greek people. There can be no other way.”
“The notorious Grexit, namely Greece’s exit from the eurozone is like reheated food, an old concept that was used to terrorize the Greek people and now is dead. Some are trying to resurrect it without success,” Mr. Tsipras added.
