Panos Skourletis

PM Alexis Tsipras announced a Greek government reshuffle on Friday afternoon, expected since an earlier vote in Parliament this week, replacing “dissident” minister Panagiotis Lafazanis with MP Panos Skourletis at the production reconstruction ministry.

Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras managed to pass through a third austerity memorandum himself, one that he doesn’t believe in. In the process, he lost his coalition government’s majority with a quarter of SYRIZA MPs dissenting and the rest appearing to vote under duress.

Some leftist SYRIZA deputies were inside the Parliament plenary session during debate on Saturday over a snap referendum called by PM Alexis Tsipras hours earlier, yet at least another two or more were … outside, standing in line at an ATM waiting to withdraw cash!

Labor Minister Panos Skourletis told private MEGA TV on Friday that the creditors’ stance is a call for the people’s suicide.

By George Georgiopoulos & Renee Maltezou

Greece's ruling Syriza party dismissed reform demands from the country's international creditors as "blackmail" on Thursday as crisis talks to avert a debt default and a eurozone exit entered a critical phase.

There were signs on Thursday that SYRIZA officials are preparing their party colleagues and the public for the possibility that the government will have to sign up to an agreement with lenders that will not be looked upon favorably by some MPs and voters.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is due to address Parliament at 6 p.m. on Friday with the aim of briefing MPs on the course of negotiations with Greece?s lenders.

His speech will find SYRIZA in a state of anxiety after the details of the proposals made by lenders were made public, underlining that the leftist party will have to cross many of the ?red lines? it had drawn.

 Top party figures say elections could be needed if proposal does attract support

With Greece due to be presented with a proposal from its lenders, attention is gradually turning toward SYRIZA and how the party?s MPs and members will react to the content of the document put forward by the institutions.

Greek Labor Minister Panos Skourletis said on Tuesday that Athens could not make more concessions in negotiations for a cash-for-reforms deal and its international lenders must assume their responsibilities.

"There is no room for more compromises. We are waiting for the other side to assume its responsibilities,» Skourletis told Greece's Skai TV.

Greek Labor Minister Panos Skourletis said on Tuesday that Athens could not make more concessions in negotiations for a cash-for-reforms deal and its international lenders must assume their responsibilities.

"There is no room for more compromises. We are waiting for the other side to assume its responsibilities,» Skourletis told Greece's Skai TV.