On the domestic front, the government is trying to cultivate a sense of optimism for a happy ending in the negotiations and an agreement with the partners at the two-day Euro Working Group session on Holy Wednesday and Holy Thursday. Nothing, however, confirms the expectations for a happy ending, even though in the past few days, under pressure for funding, the Greek side is showing signs of retreat, contrary to what is being circulated in Athens and the many “heroic” statements of ministers in the Tsipras government. Outside of Greece, the extent and quality of the proposed measures and their fiscal are not held in high regard.
The long-hour meeting of government officers at Maximos Mansion on Friday afternoon and the completion of the list of measures are indicative of understanding the economic deadlock. Once again the lack of trust is so great that even increasing the measures is not enough to fully change the mood and help the country out of this cycle of uncertainty. The likeliest scenario that the “modular solution” described by the Finance Minister will be chosen. Just enough help so that we do not default by the early summer, at which point the great discussion on tackling the Greek problem will begin. Until then they assume that the new government’s managerial inadequacies will be highlighted, while its choices are shown to be wrong. Great dilemmas will be posed at the point, after endurance of Tsipras’ team has been put to the test.
It is commonly held that no adequate solution for the debt will be offered nor any further funding of the economy without taking up specific obligations and accepting a reliable midterm stabilization program. It will be so intense that it will not be easy for today’s majority to accept it. More so if in the meantime the inter-party reactions are not under control and the government has not addressed the chaotic circumstances generated by the aggressive far left and anarchist movements in the country.
By all appearances, in the upcoming summer, the fate of the Tsipras administration will be determined, when it is faced with the deadlocks in the economy, the internal contradictions and the traditions that have accompanied it for so long. And since it not easy for anyone – much less a political party – to change so deeply in so little time, it is likelier that it will drown in its conflicts rather than change to a radical social democrat formation, as its leader wishes.
Antonis Karakousis
Originally published in the Sunday print edition
