The former President of PASOK Evangelos Venizelos argued that it will be difficult for Greece to hold its promises and that sacrifices are inevitable, in a interview to Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Mr. Venizelos argued that coming to an agreement with the country’s creditors is the only possible solution and claimed that the Prime Minister is not legitimized to lead Greece out of the euro.
According to Mr. Venizelos, all that the SYRIZA-led government has achieved since the elections in January is to increase the cost of saving Greece. He expressed his “pleasure” at the PM’s decision to keep Greece on a European path, claiming that a return to the drachma would be catastrophic for the economy.
Mr. Venizelos was highly critical of the government’s handling and estimated that the sacrifices which the Greek people will be called to make will make the notorious ‘Hardouvelis email’ seem “like a game”. He also dismissed the government’s efforts for debt relief and accused Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of preparing to agree to a new bailout.
When asked whether an agreement between Greece and its creditors is possible, the former PASOK leader responded that while the Prime Minister has no other option, other than a agreement, he explained that Mr. Tsipras is tied up by his election campaign pledges and commitments to his party, as well as a “delusion of a pan-European conflict”. Although his party would contribute towards a compromise, the Prime Minister will have to deal with divisions within his party.
