Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) State Minister Nikos Pappas, one of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras closest associates, denied that the government was using the referendum as a ploy and would back down at the last minute. “The referendum will be held as scheduled,” he said during his address to parliament on Tuesday. This did not stop Tsipras from calling EC President Jean-Claude Juncker to propose an agreement that would solve the country’s credit problem. At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, sources leaked that the prime minister was examining the possibility of starting negotiations with Greece’s European partners in an effort to avert the referendum. There was even information pointing to the possibility of a visit by the PM to Berlin or Brussels on Tuesday.

There is speculation as to whether Tsipras is backing down on a referendum and if so, whether this is as a result of creditors agreeing to Greece’s terms or the other way down.

Regardless of the speculation, one of the barriers to striking a last-minute deal is that it would need to be ratified by the parliaments of other European parliaments.  He continued contacts with European officials after speaking to Juncker on the phone.