Greece lurched into uncharted territory and an uncertain future in Europe's
common currency Sunday after voters overwhelmingly rejected demands by
international creditors for more austerity measures in exchange for a bailout
of its bankrupt economy.
Results showed about 61 per cent voted "no,” compared with 39 per cent for
"yes,” with 100 per cent of the vote counted. The referendum — Greece's first
in more than four decades — came amid severe restrictions on financial
transactions in the country, imposed last week to stem a bank run that
accelerated after the vote was called.
Thousands of jubilant government supporters celebrated in Syntagma Square
in front of Parliament, waving Greek flags and chanting "No, no, no!”
Early trading on Asian markets indicated investors were alarmed, as stock
indexes fell.
It was a decisive victory for Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who had
gambled the future of his 5-month-old coalition government — and his country —
in an all-or-nothing game of brinkmanship with Greece's creditors from other
European countries that use the euro currency, the International Monetary Fund
and the European Central Bank.
"Today we celebrate the victory of democracy,” Tsipras said in a televised
address to the nation, describing Sunday as "a bright day in the history of
Europe.”
A supporter of the No vote waves a Greek flag in front of the parliament
after the results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens on Sunday
"We proved even in the most difficult circumstances that democracy won't be
blackmailed,” he said.
Tsipras called the referendum last weekend, saying a "no” vote would
strengthen his hand to negotiate a better deal for his country. His government
has said it believes it would be possible to conclude a deal with creditors
within 48 hours.
But European officials and most of Greece's opposition parties painted the
referendum as one of whether the country kept using the euro currency — even
though that was not the convoluted question asked on the ballot. Opinion polls
Friday showed that 74 per cent or more want their country to remain in the
euro.
"Given the unfavourable conditions last week, you have made a very brave
choice,” Tsipras told Greeks in his address. "But I am aware that the mandate
you gave me is not a mandate for rupture.” He said he would seek to negotiate a
viable solution with the country's creditors.
How European officials react to the referendum result will be critical for
the country, and a eurozone summit was called for Tuesday evening to discuss
the situation.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande
spoke to each other Sunday night and agreed "that the vote of the Greek people
must be respected,” Merkel's office said.
The referendum result was "very regrettable for the future of Greece,” said
Jeroen Dijsselbloem, head of the eurozone finance ministers' meeting known as
the Eurogroup, which also will meet Tuesday.
Greek PM Tsipras says Athens is ready to return to negotiating table, now
that the country turned a page in history by rejecting bailout proposals in a
referendum. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
Dijsselbloem, who is finance minister for the Netherlands, had been a
steadfast opponent of Greece as it sought better conditions during five months
of bailout talks.
"For recovery of the Greek economy, difficult measures and reforms are
inevitable,” he said. "We will now wait for the initiatives of the Greek
authorities.”
Sigmar Gabriel, Germany's vice chancellor and economic minister, told a
German newspaper the Greek government was leading its people "onto a path of
bitter austerity and hopelessness.”
Tsipras has "torn down the last bridges, across which Europe and Greece
could move toward a compromise,” Gabriel told the daily Tagesspiegel. "By
saying 'no' to the eurozone's rules, as is reflected in the majority 'no' vote,
it's difficult to imagine negotiations over an aid package for billions.”
Belgian Finance Minister Johan Van Overtveldt was somewhat softer in his
reaction, saying a "no” result "complicates matters,” but that the door was
open to resume talks immediately.
People celebrate in front of the Greek parliament as the people of Greece
reject the debt bailout by creditors.
"What we certainly don't want to do is to take decisions that will threaten
the monetary union,” he told Belgium's VRT. "Within that framework we can start
talks again with the Greek government, literally, within hours.”
Canadian Finance Minister Joe Oliver said in a statement that Canada
continues to monitor the situation closely.
"I am confident in the capacity and commitment of the European authorities
to maintain the stability of the Eurozone as a whole,” Oliver said.
"We encourage the Greek government and its European partners to re-engage
as quickly as possible to find a constructive resolution to this crisis.”
Time has run out for Greece, which is dealing with an economy in a
protracted recession, with high unemployment and banks dangerously low on
capital.
The international bailout — under which it received nearly 240 billion
euros in rescue loans — expired last week, on the same day Greece defaulted on
an IMF repayment, becoming the first developed nation to do so.
A boy holds a Greek national flag as people celebrate in front of the
parliament Sunday in Athens.
Of critical importance will be whether the European Central Bank decides to
maintain its lifeline to Greece in the form of emergency liquidity assistance,
or ELA. The assistance, now at around 90 billion euros, has been maintained but
not increased in past days, leaving the country's financial system in a
stranglehold.
Sunday's vote was held after a week of capital controls imposed to halt a
bank run, with Greeks restricted to a daily cash withdrawal maximum of 60 euros
($67). Long lines have formed at ATMs, while pensioners without bank cards have
thronged the few bank branches opened to allow them access to a maximum 120
euros for the week. Queues at ATMs swelled again as the initial results of the
referendum came in.
The ECB operates on rules according to which it can only continue ELA
funding if Greece is in a bailout. Without an increase, it is unclear how much
longer people will be allowed to withdraw 60 euros per day.
Some analysts say Greece is so starved of cash that it could be forced to
start issuing its own currency. No country has ever left the 19-member
eurozone, established in 1999.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras speaks during a televised address to
the nation late in Athens Sunday.
The margin of victory was far wider than expected, and is likely to
strengthen the young prime minister's defiance toward Europe. Tsipras was voted
into office in January on a promise to repeal bailout austerity.
"This victory for the 'no' camp will unfortunately embolden the government,
but is likely to do little to convince the creditors that Tsipras is a
trustworthy negotiating partner who has any ability to implement a deal,” said
Megan Greene, chief economist of Manulife Asset Management.
"Any deal for Greece will involve a much larger fiscal adjustment than the
one on which Greeks voted today. I don't think that Germany in particular will
be willing to make any concessions for Tsipras.”
There was confusion Sunday night over the fate of bank safety deposit
boxes, with Deputy Finance Minister Nadia Valavani saying people would be
allowed to remove items but not cash from them, and Alternate Finance Minister
Dimitris Mardas later said the issue would have to be legislated.
Yiannis Gkovesis, 26, waved a large Greek flag in the capital's main square
with supporters of the "no” vote.
"We don't want austerity measures anymore. This has been happening for the
last five years and it has driven so many into poverty, we simply can't take
any more austerity,” Gkovesis said.
Constantinos Papanikolas, 73, who also clutched a Greek flag, said the
result meant "a fresh start, a new page for Greece and for Europe, which has
condemned its people to poverty.”
Opposition conservative New Democracy lawmaker Vangelis Meimarakis said he
was expecting Tsipras to keep his pledge for a quick deal.
"If we don't have an agreement within 48 hours as the prime minister
promised, then we are being led to a tragedy,” he said.
(www.thestar.com)