Io Chokona / Athens, Aug 17 () - Over the agreement for a third credit package to support the Greece’s economy reached in the Greek parliament with opposition’s support on August 14, the fate of Syriza government along with the first installement will be defined depending on the developments to take place after August 20.
At the Eurogroup meeting held on the same day of agreement in Greek parliament , President of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem, European Union Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis and President of ESM Klaus P. Regling have applauded the approval of credit packaged.
However, Eurogroup has also raised concerns over a potential boost of disagreements within the Syriza party, as the vote support has fell to 118 among 162 coalition members due to 43 “rebels”, 32 against and 11 abstained, which led to a tension. This number is below the 120 minimum that is considered acceptable for a minority government.
According to an intel leaked through sources close to PM Alexis Tsipras, Greek leader is expected to wait until August 20 where the first instalment should be paid, and then hold a meeting in the government to reach a decision.
There are also rumours that the Greek government could call for vote of confidence after August 20, and could declare a snap election depending on the results. In this regard, the left wing of the party feels cornered; the leader of Syriza’s Left Platfrom Panagiotis Lafazanis even has referred to PM’s decision as “blackmail”.
Additionally, Minister of State Nikos Papas has told Italian daily Il Manifesto “It is clear that a gap is settled in the party, however we will fight till the last to prevent this situation separates us” and added that the government’s objective is to suppress the degradation and assure the redistribution of national income for the good of poor. “For this reason, we should fight together” said Papas.
Accordingly, some 17 MPs concerned over a potential disintegration within the Syriza party has released a common statement on August 16 and urged:
“A government that implements the Memorandum cannot be a leftist government, but Grexit is not a solution either. We, the undersigned, raise the same concern even if we had voted differently. We have common dreams. The government should re-evaluate the situation. We should get rid of this mentality of memorandum, while holding an emergency congress in September to discuss this. Before the congress, the government should strictly avoid to go to elections.”
