By Magda Panoutsopoulou
ATHENS
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras may have a tough time getting the new Greek bailout deal through parliament.
On Monday, it became clear that there is already opposition from the left wing of the ruling Syriza party.
The leftist platform of the party, which includes Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis said in a statement on Monday: “The Left Platform calls on the people not to be disappointed by this development, but instead to insist for a 'No' as they did with the referendum; to the end! Say No to memorandums, neoliberalism and to the austerity that is institutionalized within the eurozone".
Syriza leader and European Parliament Vice President Dimitris Papadimoulis lashed out against Greece’s partners over the pressure put on Greece in order to achieve a deal.
Papadimoulis tweeted on his personal account: "The Taliban are demanding the humiliation of the country".
Nikos Filos, parliamentary spokesperson for Syriza, went further: "Greece is being waterboarded by euro-area leaders," he complained.
Nikos Filis, the parliamentary spokesperson for the ruling Coalition of the Radical Left, or Syriza, on ANT1 TV Monday morning, accused Germany of “tearing Europe apart” for the third time in the past century.
Labor Minister Panos Skourletis said on ERT TV that the bailout deal would not pass the Greek parliament. "It is not viable," he warned.
But there was considerable support for the deal, and for Tsipras himself, from the opposition.
Kiriakos Mitsotakis, center-right New Democracy Member of Parliament tweeted right after the agreement was announced: "We have three years ahead of us to become a normal European country. I hope we have learned from our mistakes now. Let us have a new beginning”.
“The government must act fast: there is no room for more mistakes,” said Socialist PASOK leader Fofi Gennimata in a tweet. “We avoided a Grexit, we have a deal," she added.
Center-left Potami leader Stavros Theodorakis said: “The objective has been achieved. The country remains in the eurozone. Alexis Tsipras kept his last promise in spite of all those that wanted us to return to the [Greek currency] drachma”.
"We hope government, parliament and parties will rise to the occasion and, without delay, take the necessary decision in order to enter, as soon as possible, into a new era," he continued. "The agreement foresees painful reforms and, unfortunately, demands more sacrifices from the Greek people. This time let’s do it with a plan, determination and justice, for Greece and for our children."
Evangelos Meimarakis, main opposition New Democracy leader, said in a written statement: "Unfortunately, at the last minute, we had only the choice for agreement or no agreement, and that would have led to total disaster."
He underlined that "with the agreement Greece got a breather in order with seriousness and responsibility to try to find again its pace in Europe."
He tweeted just right after the agreement was known: "We have three years ahead of us to become a normal European country. I hope we have learned from our mistakes now. Let us have a new beginning.”
“The government must act fast; there is no space for more mistakes,” Pasok leader Fofi Gennimata tweeted on her personal account after the Brussels deal.
“We avoided a Grexit, we have a deal."
Stavros Theodorakis underlined: "We hope government, parliament and parties to meet the occasion and without delay to take the necessary decision in order to enter, as soon as possible, into a new era" and added that "the agreement delayed and foresees painful reforms and, unfortunately, demands more sacrifices from the Greek people. This time let’s do it with plan, determination and justice. For Greece and for our children."
Meanwhile, banks in Greece will remain closed until July 15, the Greek Finance Ministry announced on Monday.
Capital controls were imposed on June 29, limiting ATM withdrawals by Greeks to €60 euros ($66) per account daily after massive withdrawals threatened to collapse of the banking system.
(With additional reporting by Bahattin Gonultas)
