"Today, all should have been here. After tossing aside the obstacles put in our way by Mrs. Zoi Konstantopoulou, we should have had an honest discussion. It would have been an act of self-discovery. This is a very important moment for the Greek Parliament and we should have had the time and the courage to explain why we reached this point.
I think that it is important, before we announce what we will vote for, to talk for a while about the conspirators for the drachma and about the putschists who emerged in these past few hours. So, before anything else, let us talk about the political conspirators who never told us openly that they wanted the drachma, but were conspiring methodically to get there.
They hid behind Alexis Tsipras. They claimed the seats of power. And some of them managed to get them.
And now they are telling us: “We will not vote for the Tsipras measures, but we will keep enjoying the privileges that Tsipras granted us”. This is utmost immorality. Dear Prime Minister, you must give an answer. It is inconceivable to keep in the government those who vote against you.
And next to the political conspirators stand the high priests of populism. Rats who jump from one administration to the next. Some known tax dodgers. Some who have their money abroad and are waiting for the drachma to become rich.
Different gangs, same family – as Dimitris Nollas has written.
Some in this country have no shame, and we must expose them. The battle is not only for Europe. We are fighting to beat the parasites and the hypocrites, the liars and the populists.
I totally respect the reaction of the Communist Party. They have a model that is totally different from ours, but they are clear about it, they do not pretend. They are willing to pay the price for their choices.
I also respect the SYRIZA MPs, who disagree with the choices of the Prime Minister, and say that they will leave, that they will resign.
I also respect the voice of the young people who take to the streets, disappointed because they had believed in a misleading narrative.
However, I have no respect for those that enjoy the benefits of a parliamentary democracy and a free economy and, during breaks, when they are not counting their investments, give us lectures on revolutions.
Let us define what revolution is today. Revolution is to rebuild our justice system, to implement meritocracy everywhere, to cut the tentacles of corruption, to stop giving advantages to the well-connected, to give opportunities to the young - not encouraging them to emigrate - but real opportunities to be creative in their own country. Revolution is also to upgrade the agricultural production, to reclaim and make good use of public land to benefit new and landless farmers. There are ideas, and we can learn from international experience. We must open the doors to the young, and close them to the bureaucrats, established interests and corporatives.
We must separate the political parties from running the public sector.
In other words, do the obvious. All those things that should have been done to avoid being dragged today from one Memorandum to the next.
You will ask me something that many others are asking: “You believe that all those things that were not done all these years will be done today - with this Parliament, with this Prime Minister”?
My answer is that we do not have a choice anymore. We must try!
But, to change the world, Mr. Tsipras, we must first believe it. And, first of all, we must change ourselves. This is your challenge.
These past few days have been torture for the Greek people. For the first time, people were cut off from their property. It makes me wonder how some well-off politicians can mock the people that are waiting in the queues of ATMs. For them, it is not money. it is the product of their hard work! Banks must open again and soon.
We do not want the “IOUs” of Mr Schaeuble and of his local supporters.
We do not want patients having to buy the supplies they need on their way to the hospital, as it is now happening.
Now, it will become obvious to all who truly cares for the downtrodden, the unemployed and the uninsured. These people, I repeat, cannot live with IOUs.
Therefore, without playing games, Potami will vote for the agreement that Alexis Tsipras brought from Europe.
We had the chance to reach a better deal, but we blew it. When we had the chance, we were still in a state of drunkenness, believing that “Of course, Europe will surrender to our beauty and intelligence”! But, Europe did not retreat.. And, this is how we ended up with this harsh deal.
The drachma conspirators blame us, blame POTAMI, because, from the start, we said that we will support the agreement that the Prime Minister will bring.
Let us talk straight.
It was crystal clear that Alexis Tsipras delayed this agreement because he was afraid of his own political party. This is the fear we wanted to eliminate.
Potami knew of the games that the drachma conspirators were playing. A conspiracy with many supporters in the conservative circles of Europe. We knew their plans, we unmasked them, and you better remember it!
They argued in the dark that “the Parliament will not vote for the measures, so let us return to the drachma”. We were shouting out in the open “The Parliament will vote for the measures. So, take the risk to bring the agreement to a vote"!
Was this to our benefit, as a political party? Maybe not. But, this is what Potami is all about.
So, we will fight. We will vote. And, after we save the country, we will struggle to improve the agreement. Because it is possible to improve this deal!
By Monday, Potami will have a complete proposal on the necessary changes.
There is room for improvement, for example cuts to the privileges of high-ranking officials.
The taxation system for farmers is irrational. It is unreasonable that producers' cooperatives are taxed as businesses.
And, we must support the unemployed, the people with low pensions and the young people entering the labor market. If we keep the present system, these young people will never receive a pension. We urge the Ministry of Finance to look carefully at our proposals.
We will not join the government. We will remain the useful opposition, the reformist opposition, the opposition the country needs. We will be calling a spade a spade. We will support actions that keep us in Europe. Let us change Europe. Let us fight for the changes that are needed by most of the people.
Potami says “More to most people". We are the movement for justice, work and education."
15 July 2015
Photo credit: Theodore Manolopoulos
