Greece, Tsipras threat referendum if negotiations with the EU is not … – Il Sole 24 Ore

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This article was published April 28, 2015 at 13:26.

The greek government aims to reach an agreement on reforms with creditors this week or at most the next but leaves open the option of a referendum if the EU will continue to make demands that the government considers unacceptable. This was underlined by the greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, in an interview to the channel Star TV.
“Our goal – said Tsipras – has reached an initial agreement this week if possible or at the latest next week. I think we are very close. “

The Prime Minister has ruled out the default and stressed that the government’s priority is to pay salaries and pensions. When asked what are the options if you do not come to an agreement, Tsipras has ruled out early elections but added that the government has the right to accept requests from creditors that go beyond the limits of his mandate and that he would ask the Greeks deciding. “If the solution is beyond our mandate, I will not have the right to violate it, then must be approved by the Greeks,” he explained. “But I am sure – he added – that we will not get to this point. Despite the difficulties, the chance to win in the negotiations is extensive. We have to avoid panic. Who scares you lose in this game. “
Tsipras also said that Greece is in the final stage of negotiations despite the distances on key issues such as the labor reform, cutting pensions and the VAT increase. The Prime Minister pointed out that the sale of assets is part of the concessions offered, including the sale of the port of Piero and the leasing of 14 regional airports.
Also Athens hopes to receive from 3 to 5 billion pre-payments if future profits will reach an agreement with Russia on the project for the Turkish Stream pipeline.

The story of the new team of negotiators chosen by the prime minister and the weakening of the greek Minister of Finance Varoufakis intervened also the former president of the European Commission, Romano Prodi. “Varoufakis – told Mix24 Giovanni Minoli on Radio 24 – not an amateur wasters. But it was a big disappointment, instead of staying in Athens with the screwdriver, to reckon, he went around the world to do the star. And in Brussels are irritated in a way she did not even imagine. Tensions terrible. ”

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