The Minister of State Alekos Flampouraris estimated that an agreement between Greece and its creditors by the 18th of June is possible, in a Friday-morning interview on ERT. Mr. Flampouraris explained that a Greek default is not in anyone’s interest, as in a globalized world all economies are interrelated and as such, if something bad were to happen to one link, the rest may be affected.
Mr. Flampouraris dismissed criticism over the progress of negotiations and measures that the government is likely to have to take, noting that the previous Samaras/Venizelos government had committed to a 3% primary surplus and measures worth 5 billion euros, far more than what the SYRIZA-led government is negotiating. The government’s aim in the negotiations, he noted, is to divert resources towards the country’s productive reconstruction, in order to support growth prospects.
Furthermore, the State Minister stressed that in spite of the propaganda from the creditors and their “domestic representatives”, the government has already begun addressing the humanitarian crisis in Greece by providing food, warmth and shelter to those in need and defended the non-pension solidarity grant (‘EKAS’).
He also dismissed allegations that the government has wasted its first few months in power. Aside from the measures intended to provide relief for the humanitarian crisis, the government has introduced legislation for beneficial debt settlements, reversed unfair dismissals in the public sector and restored ERT.
