An ever-increasing number of New Democracy ministers and MPs have been pressuring the Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to adopt a stricter, harder stance against the troika representatives in the negotiations, while urging him to abandon the threat of early elections.
The government appears determined to fight against the possibility of new measures and cuts across-the-board, with many New Democracy executives stating that it is unacceptable for the troika to go back on its commitments and promises when the government is implementing everything agreed.
The Minister of Administrative Reform Kyriakos Mitsotakis commented that even if the government were to cave in and take new measures, they would not be voted for in Parliament. Mr. Mitsotakis noted that this is the first case where the government can argue in the negotiations with the troika.
Dora Bakoyanni was in favor of a political negotiation, stressing that the Greek people cannot endure any further measures. The former Minister was against early election and urged the creditors to “show some understanding” to the Greek people’s problems.
In an interview with the Die Welt newspaper, the Minister of Interior Yannis Michelakis explained that the EU cannot demand any further austerity measures, since they will only support extremist right wing groups across Europe.
The Minister of Growth Kostas Hatzidakis was more optimistic and underlined the significance of Greece’s arguments and how “the country’s credibility has increased and there will be a satisfactory deal for both sides in the end”.
Many other New Democracy ministers and executive officers expressed their opposition to the possibility of new measures, including Adonis Georgiadis, Aris Spiliotopoulos, Evripidis Stylianidis, Nikos Kaklamanis, Kostas Tzavaras and Fotini Pipili.
