“I ask the Greek people to forgive me for contributing to this illusion.” With this phrase veteran left politician, WWII resistance fighter and SYRIZA MEP Manolis Glezos slammed the Greek government for handling the negotiations with the country’s lenders and so having changed the rhetoric of the party.
In an article uploaded on the website of his Movement for Active Citizens, the historic member of the Greek left expresses his deep disappointment about the way SYRIZA handles with the negotiations ans calls for party members to decide if they accept this situation. Manolis Glezos writes:
“Renaming the Troika into Institutions, the Memorandum of Understanding into Agreement and the lenders into partners, you do not change the previous situations as in the case renaming meat into fish.
Of course, you cannot change the vote of the Greek people at the elections of January 25, 2015.
The people voted in favor of what SYRIZA promised: to remove the austerity which is not the only strategy of the oligarchic Germany and the other EU countries, but also the strategy of the Greek oligarchy.
To remove the Memoranda and the Troika, abolish all laws of austerity.
The next day after the elections, we abolish per law the Troika and its consequences.
Now a month has passed and the promises have not turned into practice.
Pity. and pity, again.
On my part, I APOLOGIZE to the Greek people because I have contributed to this illusion.”
In a rhetoric full of passion and driven from leftist and WWII resistance ideology, Glezos calls for a debate within the party and the course it follows.
“SYRIZA members, friends and supporters at all levels of organizations should decide in extraordinary meetings whether they accept this situation.Some argue that to reach an agreement, you have to retreat. First: there can be no compromise between oppressor and oppressed. Between the slave and the occupier is the only solution is Freedom.
But even if we accept this absurdity, the concessions already made by the previous pro-austerity governments in terms of unemployment, austerity, poverty, suicides have gone beyond the limits.”
To Glezos’ sharp criticism, SYRIZA reacted rather cool and with respect to the senior veteran. Government sources commented that “most probably Glezos is not well informed about the tough negotiations.”
However, the article triggered a vivid exchange of ‘verbal attacks’ on internet with opposition parties supporters -mainly pro-austerity – to mock SYRIZA ‘that even Glezos admitted you named the meat fish”. Also SYRIZA supporters are divided.
UPDATE: Glezos came under attack by several Syriza’ friends and supporters, well known Greek personalities, who accuse him for “narcissism” and the “unmistakeable of a hero” (comedian Harry Clyn), or urge him to “let us have some success” (entertainer Zouganelis).
World famous composer Mikis Theodorakis, 90, also lined up with Glezos on Monday. “Alexis, say No to Schaeuel’s NEIN, amend all austerity measures of the bailout programs now!”
Now, several SYRIZA-supporters, voters -call them what you like – urge them both to “retire” or “reform” and “go with the time”.
PS of course, the crucial question is: who are the SYRIZA voters, what’s their social status, what was their motivations and expectations. Many of them are from the middle class, the majority of them being former PASOK voters who may rather prefer some “euro occupation” than “own currency freedom” and “return to drachma“with whatever the cost and the consequences.
What Manolis Glezos wrote I could have written myself. That puts me at the left of the current government which, naively enough perhaps, I thought were true to their word. The idea was, was it not, that if the Troika (why mince words) did not accept the bailout extension (again who cares about words besides linguists) then there would be no agreement, with the consequences that that would entail. Since Grexit had been banned from their promises, I do not know what consequences they had in mind. If any. I am sorry for Greece.
What Greece is suffering at the hands of the crony-capitalist neocon neoliberal cabal is what we are all suffering throughout the West. I prayed that the Greek people turn away toward a new future and be again the example to us as it has been in the past.
The US and EU are the past, not the future. The EU is a captured vassal of the US and will be dragged down with it. A new future is emerging in the East. Look to the SCO and BRICS. They are creating and building, while the US led West is destroying and plundering, enabling ethnic cleansing and mass murder.
those in the greek media who promoted the idea that there wss a ‘split’ in the eu countries are now seen to be foolish and guilty of misleading the greek people we have an old saying in ireland ‘blood is thicker than water’ your government have run up against a ‘brick wall’ same old same old
I read an article dealing with the same subject,
THE ASSASSINATION OF GREECE, at:
http://www.veteransnewsnow.com/2015/02/21/515763the-assassination-of-greece/
This is extremely sad and disappointing. The same again as after Papandreou’s first election – immediately reneging on pre-election promises.
“slammed the Greek government for its handling of the negotiations with ——————- & so having changed the rhetoic of the party”
Manolis Glezos said………….
I was under the impression that SYZRIA was elected with a mandate from the Greek people to solve the Economic crisis of Greece ?
Bending over for the EU & its collectively lucrative partners in crime is what got Greece into this insane crisis in the first place.
I cannot see how even more bending over will help (?)
I just looked him up –
MANOLIS GLEZOS BORN SEPTEMBER 9 1922 AGED 92.
SEPARAKALO !
Now we know primary source of Greece problems. Greek leftists.
Whether they are voting for Pasok, KKE, Syriza.. its always the same group. Terrorizing Greeks on streets with demands for government handouts… terrorizing the EU with demands for handouts. Shameless fanatics.
Some victories have been scored, after all :
No primary surplus of 3% for 2015, as previously demanded by the troika;
For the following years, the primary surplus targets have been dropped by the troika – new “appropriate” targets will now be negotiated;
No commitment on raising VAT, as demanded by the troika;
No commitment on reducing pensions, as demanded by the troika;
Structural reforms will be formulated together with the Greek government, not unilaterally imposed by the troika as before.
If this is not a major win for Syriza I don’t know what is.
Just these steps accomplished more than the previous 2 govts
The fun is that Mr Tsipras surprised me positively by his realism (though negotiations are not finished yet). I do not believe that an unprepared Grexit would help Greece. There was a big danger of a bank run – who would be happy if – for example- banks went bankrupt and people’s and companies’ savings disappeared ?
Even if the Greek government preferred “own drachma freedom” (which in the long run would not be so crazy) and default, they should prepare for it. The government needs time for it and some money that it can borrow from anybody to help the banking sector during the time of currency change. For borrowing one needs also time.
So in both situations (drachma or not drachma) it is better to blink now. And Tsipras did it.
One cannot vote everything – for example I would vote that I should be a billionaire and immortal – but with all my voting rage, I can’t do it. And even if we all voted for it … the world will not change.
PS. I would vote for eternal youth and health, too.
And if it were so easy to change things in countries only by voting, India and Bangladesh – both democracies – would not be poor – people would vote poverty out by democratic elections.
I’d be more patient to see what’s coming next. This government now needs massive popular support to implement reforms that previous govts have been avoiding like the devil. Whether this is a win or not is not the question: they just managed to buy time to start working within Greece (and to some repspect in better conditions than the previous govts).
Remember that Grexit will still be an option when negotiations for the new agreement start in four months. And if it happens, they will be able to say “we have tried everything and we proved that there is no other way”. My advise is wait and see – and try to be an actor in any way you can figure out…
I understand the frustration and dislike by the Greeks for the Troika…but come on, folks. You borrow hundreds of billions of dollars…you live beyond your means…you fix the economic numbers for admission to the EU….you have more than half your workers employed by the government.
Your country was better off run by the military junta than the Socialist morons you’ve entrusted the last 40 years.