Tsipras in Parliament: I did not fool the people; ‘No’ was not decision for rift with Europe

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, addressing a crucial debate in Parliament roughly two days before an unofficial ultimatum by the country’s creditors runs out, said there’s a “chance, and not certainty for an agreement”.
Tsipras, faced with the biggest challenge in his tumultuous six months in office, told MPs that “we want to prevent a political Grexit under an economic pretense.”

He also admitted in yet another nationally televised appearance that “prerequisite actions are far from our pre-election commitments”.

Tsipras told deputies, and a television audience, that his only motivation was to defend national interests
“For six months I have done all that is humanely possible under difficult conditions, even under blackmail; I did not consider the political cost, I did not reconcile myself in order to ensure an easier hold on power,” Tsipras said, the tone of his voice raised.

In a bid of self-criticism, he admitted that mistakes were made during five months of negotiations. However, he said the country “negotiated with dignity”, using a “loaded word” repeatedly used in leftist SYRIZA’s pre-election campaign and to vilify the previous government.

He also referred to “EU circles”, as he maintained, that want to rid the continent of a leftist government, whereas he gauged that the “no” in the much-ballyhooed Greek referendum — a mere week ago — was a mandate to buttress the country’s negotiating power.

“I did not fool the Greek people, nor the political leaders,” he said, saying he interprets the “no” as a dignified choice for a better solution.

“Despite the closed banks, despite the huge difficulties that were created in the economic and social fabric, the Greek people made a difficult and courageous decision, which surprised most of us. But it did not request rift (with Europe),” he said.