Greece is undoubtedly on the edge of the cliff. The new government of Mr. Tsipras promised a lot and despite the many warnings it believed, for some reason, that it could overthrow the country’s previous agreements with its partners and impose its will on Europe.
In the five months that have gone by, this choice may have been elected, debated in the international press and caused many discussions throughout the world, but ultimately it failed to convince and was rejected by the European bodies and international economic centers.
With only a few days left until the current program expires, the government has not yet achieved the “honest compromise” which it has been fighting for and faces a deadline that expires on Monday.
It is essentially called upon to decide in the next few hours whether it will accept the deal offered by its partners and creditors, or choose to follow a lonely and uncharted path, in a cruel and ruthless world.
If the Prime Minister leaves the Summit without an agreement then in all certainty there will be dramatic developments for Greece.
The European Central Bank will cut off its emergency funding, the banks will collapse, there will be a default and the country’s departure from the Eurozone must be considered a given.
Anything could happen in such extreme circumstances. In such conditions of absolute insecurity and lack of trust, nothing can guarantee the proper operation of the financial system, nor of course social peace.
Let us not even consider the possibility of national threats, which as history teaches us, occur during periods of instability and financial collapse.
The decision which the Prime Minister is called upon to make in the new few hours is crucial, of historic proportions and absolutely decisive for the country’s future. However, to avoid any misunderstandings, we must also note that the Prime Minister does not have the authorization or public mandate for anything other that keeping Greece in the Eurozone.
He was elected on promises of remaining in the Eurozone, he won the voters’ heart by projecting a European profile and cultivated expectations of progress and prosperity, so he does not have the right to act differently now.
Furthermore, he is not legitimized to cancel the national strategy of the past 40 years overnight and expose Greece to profound threats. Until now nobody has considered changing Greece’s European doctrine or undermine the country’s European direction.
Such strategic choices cannot be made without great majorities or without the near absolute support of the Greek people. The SYRIZA-ANEL government does not have that support, legitimization or mandate.
Mr. Tsipras only has one choice and once choice alone: to do all that he can to save Greece from the impending catastrophe. That is what the Greek people want, that is their demand. On Monday night ha must leave the Summit with an agreement in hand, capable of securing the country’s stability and security.
He must find the way to do so. Quite simply, he not allowed anything else.
Antonis Karakousis
Originally published in the Sunday print edition
