CRISIS - For the Prime Minister, the adoption of the new plan is necessary to avoid the country going bankrupt ...
Faced with severe public discontent and growing discontent within his party, George Papandreou on Sunday called on Greeks to support his new austerity plan over five years, according to him only solution to avoid bankruptcy the country.
Appealing to reason and solidarity of its citizens, Greek Prime Minister has promised to give them the opportunity to speak in the fall through a referendum on electoral and political changes, including liability of Ministers.
Liquidity reserves almost exhausted
The Socialist leader was speaking in Parliament before a debate on the issue of trust that has elected to put in with his new emergency government just hours before a meeting of finance ministers from the euro area in Luxembourg.This meeting should allow the release of a new tranche of aid given to Greece by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
Papandreou, who plays his political survival, said that Greece was at a decisive moment in its history and its cash reserves are almost exhausted, she had to get a new tranche of $ 12 billion, plan of 120 billion euros from the EU and the IMF.
With regard to the austerity plan, drastic conservation measures, which are spread over five years, consist of privatization, lower incomes and higher taxes."The consequences of a bankruptcy or out of the euro would have catastrophic for real estate, banks and the country's credibility," he said.
"We are not looking for scapegoats"
"We want a vote of confidence, not because we are looking for scapegoats but because we want to act and take action policies so that Greece no longer dependent of creditors in the future," he said.
The cabinet reshuffle Friday decided in haste with the replacement of George Papaconstantinou by Evangelos Venizelos, Ministry of Finance was in response to growing discontent within the PASOK after the defection of three deputies.
The opposition calls it, through the voice of its leader Antonis Samaras the departure of head of government and a renegotiation of aid after the election."Why is the government insists it take for us to take this error?He does not want a consensus, he wants an accomplice, "said Samaras.
47.5% of Greeks for a rejection of the austerity plan
Given this position, Papandreou called on his opponents to stop the political confrontation in such a difficult time so as not to give the image of a divided country."Show our divisions do not help us," he said.
As part of this desire for dialogue, Papandreou said "the fall, we will go to a referendum on the main reforms in this country."
An opinion poll conducted before the reshuffle shows that 47.5% of Greeks want the austerity plan is rejected by the parliament and early elections are held.Just over one third (34.8%) favor the plan.
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