Greece Faces Pivotal Choice In Sunday Referendum

Repeating his assault on European partners he accused of blackmailing and issuing ultimatums to Greece, the leftist leader called for calm.

Countering European Union leaders’ warnings that a “No” could cause Greece to crash out of the eurozone, Tsipras told the crowd of 25,000 cheering supporters: “We are not simply deciding to remain in Europe – we are deciding to live with dignity in Europe”.

The European Commission has denied talks are ongoing between the Greek government and EU lenders on a bailout deal ahead of Sunday’s referendum. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has advised the people of his country to vote “no”. If the outcome is a “yes”, Greece will accept the austerity bailout. We have very hard times and the Greek people know that.

Apostolos Foutsitzis, a 43-year-old medical scanner operator in the northern city of Thessaloniki, said he is confused by the question but plans to vote Yes because he wants Greece to remain in Europe.

If Greece chooses to leave the eurozone, other countries could be emboldened to consider more publicly the pros and cons of staying in the common currency, making what was considered an irreversible step reversible.

ATHENS, Greece (AP) – In a story July 2 about the Greek referendum, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the worldwide Monetary Fund had said Greece would need debt relief worth 50 billion euros.

The survey of 1,042 people was conducted by the University of Macedonia Research Institute of Applied Social and Economic Studies and the margin of error was 3 percent.

In Athens, another pensioner, Kostas, was regularly withdrawing his and wife’s daily euro limits from ATMs for fear they might be seized by the government or converted to drachmas.

There has been little time for campaigning but Tsipras is due to address a mass rally of “No” supporters in Athens” central Syntagma Square outside parliament on Friday evening, while “Yes’ campaigners rallying at the old Olympic Stadium.

Samaras also rejected Tsipras’ claim that a deal with creditors could be hammered out within 48 hours after the referendum.

That’s what’s happened in the past five years. “Tell him NO now”.

Greece announced that its Council of State – the nation’s supreme administrative court – rejected an appeal to cancel the referendum and the vote will go ahead. The Council of Europe, a pan-European democracy and human rights watchdog, has said the vote does not meet its minimum standards. They contended that the referendum was called at a short notice, the constitution prohibits fiscal policy questions, and the question is complicated and vague.

The sense of building crisis was heightened further by a eurozone emergency fund officially declaring Greece to be in default.

Ignoring its own procedures, the global Monetary Fund threw caution to the wind Thursday and shook up things both in Brussels and Athens, two days before the referendum in Greece on accepting new bailout terms. The four biggest-selling newspapers called for a “yes” vote.

For the radical left-led Greek government, the proposals were unacceptable.

At loggerheads with its worldwide creditors, Greece jumped at the opportunity, at the risk of relying on the recommendations of an institution it loathes.

Greek Finance mInister Yanis Varoufakis’ statements that an agreement between Greece and the other euro countries is in the offing, is “completely untrue”, according to to Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem, NU reports.

And Tsipras and Panos Kammenos – who is also defence minister – made a show of unity in a joint news conference in which Tsipras reiterated that he would stand firm against any attempt by creditors to cut back Greece’s armed forces.

Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Friday defended a weekend referendum he hopes will reset bailout negotiations and demanded creditors forgive a third of the country’s debt and allow delayed repayments for the rest.