Tsipras rules out vote if agreement is deemed ‘viable’
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is said to have sent a message to his MPs on Saturday to forget the idea of snap elections or a referendum if his government is able to secure a “viable agreement” with Greece’s lenders.
Government sources said that Tsipras does not believe there is any reason to consider a vote if such a deal can be reached as the government has a fresh mandate and, according to opinion polls, strong public support.
Tsipras acknowledges that it will not be easy to reach a satisfactory conclusion in the discussions with creditors, sources added, but also believes that if there is an offer on the table – even one that represents a “difficult compromise” – that paves the way for Greece to exit the crisis and put the bailout agreements behind, it is the government’s duty to sign it.
His party is waiting for an agreement with great expectations as MPs and SYRIZA members want to see the details of the deal before they position themselves regarding whether they will accept the settlement or not. A particularly important element for SYRIZA officials is whether the institutions will make a clear reference to debt relief.
“The party’s reaction will depend on whether the possible agreement includes a commitment to the debt issue,” a party official who preferred to remain anonymous told Kathimerini. “It is not enough to have a vague, verbal reference. It has to be a binding framework with a specific timetable and intermediate steps.”
