- Title: EUROZONE-GREECE/MORNING Greeks call on politicans to work to avoid early election
- Date: 30th July 2015
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JULY 30, 2015) (REUTERS) SYNTAGMA SQUARE WITH PARLIAMENT BUILDING IN BACKGROUND FOUNTAIN IN SQUARE PEOPLE WALKING BY FOUNTAIN GREEK FLAG VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING BY FOUNTAIN (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) PENSIONER, THANASIS, 75, SAYING: "He (Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras) must definitely hold on (to power) so that we don't have elections. Elections are costly,
- Embargoed: 14th August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA7B9AS9HP1H5P59I36E0I95ISE
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Greeks on Thursday (July 30) expressed frustration as the country's prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, struggled to contain a revolt in his left-wing Syriza party and keep his government in power.
Later in the day Tsipras is due to address the party's central committee, which will meet to decide whether the party will hold an emergency meeting in September to decide the party's future.
The committee session is likely to be a fraught one with many activists led by sacked former energy minister Panagiotis Lafazanis. They are angered by Tsipras' acceptance of bailout terms which were more stringent than those voters rejected in a July 5 referendum. They are also demanding a tougher line with the country's creditors.
In a clear warning to Syriza rebels, Tsipras said he could be forced to call early elections if he no longer had a parliamentary majority, and suggested an emergency party congress could be held in early September.
That is a scenario many people do not wish for.
"He (Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras) must definitely hold on (to power) so that we don't have elections. Elections are costly, as a lot of money is wasted. What are we going to do? Have elections ten times a year? That doesn't make sense," said pensioner Thanasis.
His views were echoed by another pensioner called Eri.
"I want the government to stay in power because we shouldn't have elections now. On the other hand, the measures are really harsh. What can we do?" she said.
Many people also criticised the in-fighting in the Syriza party.
"Tsipras and only Tsipras. He is the one who will save us. He's doing his best but they (members of Syriza) are undermining him," Thanasis added.
"The lawmakers from the same party, they can't work it out. One says this, the other one says that and we are expecting these people to make things better," asked pensioner Emmanouel.
Jeweller George called on Lafazanis to give up his parliamentary seat.
"What would be honest, since Mr. (sacked former energy minister Panagiotis) Lafazanis has a different opinion he should give up his seat," he said.
Pensioner Themos was less concerned with Syriza and more concerned with the capital controls imposed by the government as Greece was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. The capital controls have since been loosened, but the question of when they will be lifted is still upmost on people's minds.
"Let them do whatever they want, it's not my party anyway. So whatever they do, I don't care. The issue is the capital controls. This is our great enemy. As for Syriza, I hope they can sort it out," he said.
Technical experts representing Greece's international creditors - the European Commission, the ECB, the International Monetary Fund, and the eurozone's rescue fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) - are currently in Athens, laying the groundwork for the third bailout programme which the country needs to be able to stay in the eurozone.
A deal on a new bailout programme needs to be reached by August 20 when Greece is due to pay 3.4 billion euros to the ECB. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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