SYRIZA: 'The mandate of the Greek people is not negotiable'
For more on SYRIZA's struggle against austerity, click HERE
May 8, 2015 – Australia-Greece Solidarity Campaign posted at Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal – The political secretariat of SYRIZA met on May 5 and, with its unanimous decision, stressed amongst other things that the "government’s red lines are the Greek people’s red lines. They constitute the necessary prerequisite for the exit from the crisis whilst abiding by terms of social justice and economic development“.
The decision has been translated and is shown below. The original text in Greek is here
No to threats: the mandate of the Greek people is not negotiable
1. The government, faithful to the popular mandate of January 25 to abolish the memorandum policies and austerity measures, defends the interests of the country, its people’s will and sovereign democracy.
It defends the undeniable right of a people to determine their own future.
2. As of the agreement of February 20, 2015, the lenders, supported by some domestic and foreign media, have attempted to undermine the difficult compromise achieved and to force the new government to implement those policies for which the Samaras government was defeated.
3. “The government’s red lines are the Greek people’s red lines. They constitute the necessary prerequisite for the exit from the crisis whilst abiding by terms of social justice and economic development “. The efforts of extreme elements among lenders is just as unacceptable as Greece’s own domestic austerity supporting establishment that undermines the efforts for a viable and sustainable solution, and threatens additional austerity and recession measures which would further impoverish society.
4.SYRIZA stands with the government as do the majority of citizens, regardless of party affiliation. We want the people participating in developments, to fight battles and to assert their rights. We want the people to be a part of all this that concerns them, the future of this country depends on the people.
5. SYRIZA extends an invitation to all the progressive, social and political forces of Europe to join forces in a common struggle, against the neoliberal strategy of austerity. Against blackmail and pressure, we advocate solidarity and democracy.
Varoufakis: “We Can’t Impose Our Positions but We Will Fight”
Greek Reporter, May 16
<http://greece.greekreporter.com/2015/05/16/greek-finmin-varoufakis-we-cant-impose-our-positions-but-we-will-fight>
The government’s aim in the negotiations with the creditors is to stop
the self-reinforcing crisis and redistribute the burdens, Greek
Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis stressed on Friday in statements to
‘ERTOpen’ [self-managed broadcaster created when previous/Samaris
gov't closed ERT public broadcaster] . He also underlined that the
government had not yet crossed any of its so-called “red lines” and
that all issues were still on the table.
“None of the issues have yet closed and until they are closed, there
is nothing,” the minister added.
“The people elected us to accept the cost of a drawn-out negotiation,”
Varoufakis stated. Replying to those pushing for a full-on clash with
the creditors, he stressed that this was not the reason why he was
elected, just as he hadn’t been elected to “implement the Hardouvelis
e-mail." [Eurozone stance of previous FinMin]
“We are trying to create a framework for an agreement. When this takes
shape, we will go to the organs and ask ‘Are we agreed?’. If not, then
there is no agreement. If yes, then responsibility is collective,” he
said.
He denied that the government was seeking a confrontation in the
negotiations, noting that negotiation meant compromise, but also
emphasized that it would not simply give in.
“We do not have the means to impose our positions but neither will we
give in without a fight,” he said, adding that the problem is
political.
He also noted that unless the Greek side was willing to entertain the
idea of a falling out, then it would simply cave in and submit to the
creditors’ demands, as the previous governments had done.
Regarding Greece ‘s contacts with other countries, Varoufakis said
that the negotiations with Greece’s EU partners concerned an issue
that “remains in the European family and must be solved there”.
“Greece does, of course, have bilateral relations and on the basis of
our mutual interests makes agreements, transactions and trades based
on our view of human rights,” he said.
On the privatisation of Greece’s regional airports, the finance
minister said he was unaware of any other country where all the
regional airports had been sold to one company without any state
participation. “This would not happen in Germany,” he pointed out.
Varoufakis also ruled out elections and, on the issue of a referendum,
he noted there was provision for this within Greece’s Constitution, so
that the Greek people could decide their future in relation to major
issues, and that “it is not at all bad to think about the
possibility…”
(source: ana-mpa)