Greece, it accelerates. Tsipras does not rule out referendum – ANSA.it

BRUSSELS – After the ‘reshuffle’ negotiators Greek negotiations between Athens and Europe seems to advance and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is confident in an agreement by May 9. But the road is still uphill: Athens is not willing to do anything and if the conditions of the creditors will be too hard, Tsipras does not exclude subjecting them to a referendum. Meanwhile, the government is working for reforms to be presented tomorrow at the Brussels Group and that should be part of a decree to be approved this week. Among the measures also check the VAT increase to 18%, another measure that Syriza was opposed.

The change in the team of negotiators Greek “is a positive sign but we must not distract from the fact that more needs to be done on the substance “, commented today European sources close to the negotiations, recognizing that there was” an advance “because the decree announced in the last hours” shows the willingness to work “agreement. But the change of form, that is, the “commissioner” of Varoufakis, “does not change anything in substance,” warns Christian Noyer, governor of the Bank of France and adviser in Frankfurt, explaining how “Athens must decide serious reforms.”

As for the substance, the Government is thinking to approve later this week a number of measures including strengthening the independence of the institution of tax collection and an auction for new licenses tv (Greek oligarchs who control the private TV has never been asked to pay for their licenses). Moreover, Tsipras and his are thinking also to introduce VAT from June fixed rate of 18% for all services and commodities, with the exception of medicines. A measure that so far had opposed because it lies entirely on population. The reforms will be presented tomorrow at the Brussels Group and their approval is conditional on the presence or absence of the intervention on pensions, minimum wage and confiscation of the first houses.

It is not yet clear how much the government is willing to give on these important points for creditors. Tsipras does not want to give up all the campaign promises and said that, if the demands are too harsh, will submit them to the people who gave him a clear mandate, namely to combat the austerity. Despite the mood is positive again, a survey conducted by the German Sentix reveals that 48% of investors believe that a ‘Grexit’ will occur within 12 months. And the British press warns citizens who have booked holidays in Greece to bring cash, needed in case of default because the banks could close.