EUROZONE-GREECE/TSIPRAS/SAMARAS/MINISTERS Greek PM briefs ministers after referendum vote

Record ID: 135343

  • Title: EUROZONE-GREECE/TSIPRAS/SAMARAS/MINISTERS Greek PM briefs ministers after referendum vote
  • Date: 6th July 2015
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JULY 5, 2015) (REUTERS) + NIGHT SHOTS + VARIOUS OF THOUSANDS OF 'NO' VOTERS WITH GREEK FLAGS CELEBRATING IN SYNTAGMA SQUARE OPPOSITE THE GREEK PARLIAMENT
  • Embargoed: 21st July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAAV8N1PIWP70YNBOBYPGM1JXIA
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Sunday (July 5) night asked the country's president Prokopis Pavlopoulos to summon a meeting of political party leaders to brief them on the situation of his country, after Greek citizens said 'No' in a referendum to international aid under tough austerity terms.
    Tsipras said earlier in the night he was ready to return immediately to negotiations with creditors in a bid to get shuttered banks open again.
    As the the result of the 'No' vote became indisputable, members of the government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras converged at the leader's office in central Athens.
    Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis went through the Prime Minister's office gate on a motorcycle minutes after a televised statement in which he described the result as a resounding "yes to a democratic Europe."
    Defence and Interior Ministers Pannos Kammenos and Nikos Voutsis also met Tsipras.
    "Today is a great, historical day for the Greek people and for Europe. Of course, our first duty is to take care of this people which showed great confidence in us. We should do whatever we can so as to help our people and the working class families to overcome their very difficult living conditions," Voutsis said to journalists after meeting Tsipras.
    Given the adverse results of the referendum for those supporting the 'Yes to Europe' option, and shortly after confirming the strong vote for the 'No' position, former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras announced he was stepping down as leader of Greece's conservative New Democracy opposition party.
    "Our great party is in need of a new start. As of today, I'm resigning from the leadership of New Democracy Party," Samaras said in a televised statement.
    Samaras had made several calls in recent days for Greeks to support the 'Yes to Europe' option as a way to secure a future for the country within the Eurozone.
    Greece's political party leaders are due to meet on Monday (July 6) at 10 a.m. (0700 GMT).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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