There has been no shortage of tension, over the past few days, in the negotiations with the creditors and partners.
The stakes are high, the trust is lost and time is running out.
There are just two days left until Thursday’s critical Eurogroup summit and the differences seem to remain.
Ahead of this critical summit threats are being exchanged and differences overstated, as each side senses the looming catastrophe and wants to shift the responsibility of failure in negotiations to the other side.
The statements of European officials are harsh and the leaks in the most credible European newspapers are similarly predisposed, while those involved in the talks in Athens also appear to be inflexible.
However one cannot believe that without a second thought Greece will chose the lonely path and the partners will light-heartedly assume responsibility of disturbing European unity.
It follows that one would expect an intensification of negotiations, even in the final hour. It is encouraging that the Euro Working Group in convening in Tuesday and that ahead of this meeting and in spite of the tense atmosphere of the past few days, there are still behind-the-scenes talks between Brussels and Athens.
The hope and expectation is that perhaps in the final hours there may initiatives from each side capable of setting the foundations for a positive outcome at the upcoming summit of Eurozone Finance Ministers on Thursday.
In any case the government is assuming a major national responsibility if it chooses and rupture with Europe and jeopardizes Greece’s position in the Eurozone.
It is not authorized to do so, nor can it bear the consequences of such a problematic choice, which, aside from everything else, cancels that national strategy of the past 40 years.
In this respect the government must find the courage and strength to assume the cost it deserves and make its decisions.
The Greek people want the euro and Greece belongs to Europe, let everyone understand this.
TO VIMA
