Tsipras, Kammenos ask BoG chief to clarify stance on Cyprus
The head of the main leftist opposition SYRIZA, Alexis Tsipras, and the leader of the anti-bailout Independent Greeks Panos Kammenos on Friday jointly called on the Governor of the Bank of Greece, Giorgos Provopoulos, to explain his stance on Cyprus where government officials are scrambling to draft measures acceptable to foreign lenders and avert a possible default.
The two opposition chiefs called on Provopoulos to explain why Greece’s central bank refused to provide a crucial 2 billion euros to the Cyprus bailout.
After his talks with Kammenos, Tsipras accused the government of essentially compounding the extortionate tactics of troika officials and called on Greek parties to unite in a show of solidarity for the Cypriot people.
Kammenos, for his part, criticized statements made earlier Friday by German Chancellor Angela Merkel who had pushed Nicosia to reach a bailout solution, remarking that the patience of Cyprus’ European partners was running out.
On Thursday Tsipras had rejected a call by Kammenos to back a censure motion by the Independent Greeks against Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras over the latter’s stance at a recent Eurogroup summit where the contentious decision was made to tax deposits at Cypriot banks. The decision was rejected by Cypriot lawmakers.
