The threat of a new deadlock in the relationship between the new government with the European partners and creditors is now visible to naked eye.
Two weeks have gone since the Eurogroup agreement, but there does not seem to be any progress on the horizon.
The partners almost doubt the agreement and demand confirmatory acts from Athens.
From their side there has not been any move made to normalize the financial circumstances, aside from threats and warnings that without any specification and measures they will not offer any help and they will leave Greece to its fate.
On Thursday Mario Draghi demonstrated in Nicosia his rigid, banker side, who does not settle for promises.
He offered no funding opportunities to the exhausted Greek economy, instead he insisted on the water torture and policy of asphyxiation.
And at he same time, he announced that 1.1 trillion euros would be available for buying bonds from other European countries.
After the accused the Greek government of a damaging communication policy, he referred to the Eurogroup, where the previous agreement will be evaluated and ratified.
By using money he applied and continues to apply political pressure on the Greek government, which has depleted the Greek state funding reserves.
It is clear that the partners and institutions that compose the Eurozone want to bring the Greek government to their measure; they will not compromise with the waves of doubt that its election brought and demand adaptation and compliance.
The pressure is without a doubt direct and Athens is aware of this.
In conjunction with the many arrhythmias of the Tsipras government, the public disagreements, the different opinions and the obvious lack in being able to adjust to the financial circumstances, it is quickly escalating to a political weakness.
Under these circumstances, the State is losing strength and its reserves; time is quickly running out for the government.
If it does not manage to coordinate with the partners, then it is at risk of exhaustion before the four-month extension period concludes.
The issue that Mr. Tsipras must now address is if he will provide the necessary guarantees to lift the deadlock at Monday’s Eurogroup session.
Namely if Mr. Varoufakis will present the reforms he promised and whether he will have many more prepared in his briefcase, in case he comes face-to-face with suspicious and demanding colleagues.
Perhaps it is time for the Tsipras government to take five steps back to gain fifty steps forward in a few months.
“We must change to remain the same” said The Leopard to the scared landowners of Sicily, who were afraid of the revolting Garibaldini, in Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s masterpiece.
Antonis Karakousis
