Tsipras attacks Greek government’s stance on crisis-hit Cyprus
Left opposition leader Alexis Tsipras on Thursday attacked the country’s conservative-led administration for allegedly failing to offer any solidarity to Cyprus – the latest victim of Europe’s debt crisis and Greek contagion.
“Greece is not behaving like the motherland for Cypriots, but like the step mother,” Tsipras said during a conference at his SYRIZA party headquarters.
“When [Yannis] Stournaras says ‘we’ he means the Eurogroup, the lenders and the Greek government,” said Tsipras of the Greek finance minister while criticizing Prime Minister Antonis Samaras for being “absent” for the past days.
Cypriot lawmakers on Tuesday rejected a critical draft bill that would have seized part of people’s bank deposits in order to qualify for a vital international bailout, with not a single vote in favor.
Tsipras, who has pledged to scrap Greece’s bailout deal should SYRIZA come to power, hailed the Cypriot Parliament’s decision saying it was the first reaction “against neoliberal policies in Europe.” “It has opened a window of opportunity,” he said.
“We call on all Greeks to show solidarity with Cyprus and its decision to say ‘no’,” he said.
