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Alexis Tsipras: "NO is not just a slogan": Translation of Greek Prime Minister's address on referendum

See also: How "Fascist Capitalism" Functions: The Case of Greece (12/7/15) by Eric Zuesse | Global Research, Are we Sure that Tsipras Caved In? (11/7/15) | Global Research/, Behind the Greek Debt (7/7/15) by Thierry Meyssan | VoltaireNet and other articles about Greece.

Greek citizens,


This is a given and no one should question this. [More inside article]

















And we refused to go along with this.

And this is why they are retaliating today.



This ultimatum was not accepted.


And this is what we have done.




To become one with them.

Complicit in perpetuating the memoranda.










Greek citizens,

I am fully aware of the difficulties.




They are knowingly lying.





That the program implemented in Greece failed.

That Europe must stop behaving in an undemocratic manner.




They are timid politicians, unable to think as Europeans.


They dream, indeed, of being restored to power.



Greek citizens,



It will be temporary.

Salaries and pensions will not be lost.





To turn a page, that calls for upholding democracy.

With the certain hope that we will reach a better deal.

We owe this to our parents, our children, ourselves.

It is our duty. We owe this to history.

Thank you.

Thank you Prime Minister of Greece


Publication Date of original article: 01/07/2015

URL of original article:

Other Articles about Greece

Greece – Black Friday – Blackmailed into Capitulation? Tsipras' Austerity Plan (10/7/15) by Peter Koenig | Global Research, Why Greece Will Have to Exit the Eurozone (8/7/15) by Jonathon Cook | Global Research, Planned US Coup in Greece? (8/7/15) by Stephen Lendman | Global Research, Behind the Greek Debt (7/7/15) by Thierry Meyssan | VoltaireNet, Greece – The Triumph of Democracy – The First Day of a New Beginning. "The Western Fraudulent Monetary System is Doomed" (7/7/15) by Peter Koenig | Global Research, Greece: Of Disappearing Debt and Illegal Loans (7/7/15) | Global Research, 'He doesn't negotiate, he kicks ass!' Why Varoufakis was the coolest finance minister ever (6/7/15) | RT, Warrior Economist: The Varoufakis Legacy (7/7/15) by Binoy Kampmark | Global Research, Varoufakis resigns as Greek finance minister 'to aid deal' (6/7/15) | RT, Greeks Vote NO To EU-Imposed Austerity Paul Craig Roberts (5/7/15) |

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On SBS Insight just now, a female member of the audience asked why the European Union and the IMF never held to account past Greek governments for their mishandling of the money lent to them in the past.

Just as the rulers of Nazi Germany were held to account for their crimes at the Nuremberg trials, those past Greek governments, who indebted Greece so badly for no tangible economic gain, should have been held to account by the European Union and the IMF, before they allowed them to further increase Greece's indebtedness.

Given that the European Union and the IMF did not hold those past Greek governments to account, why should the EU and the IMF be considered any less culpable for Greece's economic failures and indebtedness than those past Greek governments, and why should all Greeks, including the vast majority, who were not complicit in that financial mismanagement, be expected to pay so dearly in 2015?

The past governments were centrists who abided by the established political and social economic order.

The Greeks then broke away (partially) by electing Syriza. Although I am sceptical of how far apart Syriza is from the established order (I doubted they were as radical as they appeared), the Greeks nevertheless must be punished for not choosing the "approved" Democratic path. Tsipras has dropped hints which could suggest that the ECB threatened to destroy Greece if Syriza did not capitulate. Its more then money, its religion. Everyone must truly BELIEVE in their neoliberalism.

It is politics first and foremost. The Greeks will be punished for straying and not believing, Syriza will be seen to fail them (as they already have been seen to) and Greece will move to the only other anti austerity parties, the far right. An alternative to the stranglehold they technicrats have cannot be tolerated. You cant just offer to payback the money, you have to adopt and believe their world model. This is why Russia is considered a pariah, because they havent fallen into line. This was given as a reason for attacking Serbia in the 90's.