Retrospectively to the historical events of referendumwhich took place in the summer of 2015, was attempted yesterday by the former President of the Republic, Prokopis Pavlopouloson the occasion of the ten -year completion of what happened that summer.
Speaking on the show “In front of Annapo”, Mr. Pavlopoulos explained that he indirectly played a catalytic role in the country’s stay in the eurozone, maintaining the status quo, but also in the recovery of lost credibility with European partners at those critical times.
Describing for the first time the events of the night from the 5th day of July 2015, Mr. Pavlopoulos reminded the meaning that “I had been elected President of the Republic by a European majority” and added that the referendum “was a surprise to me, I didn’t expect it.” In fact, the former president talked to the then prime minister, Alexis Tsiprastelling him that “I will not become the president of the drachma”, when I heard “from the financial staff analyzes that left me speechless” at the same source. While he was “no communication” with the government, he described for the afternoon of June 26, while “the program was finished on Monday and we would not have ELA, that is, we would not have liquidity in the banks,” he continued.
“I spoke with Merkel and Hollande, which too were taken aback. I told Alexis “I can’t understand why you make this choice” and explained that because of my work I know because of what Article 43 (2) of the Constitution says. I can’t deny the referendum because I don’t have such a right. But I pointed out to him that the period for the referendum is very short and I also emphasized the wording of the question. “
According to Prokopis Pavlopoulos, Alexis Tsipras “told me that the question would be if they approve of the proposal he had rejected. I then told him, “So you tell me that in no case can the referendum be in or out of the eurozone. If this is the question I can not accept it, if the question is then I will be out of the presidency at the next time. that I will use for negotiation and should not be considered to lead us out of the euro. ” We agreed, the debate in the House took place, I was sent to me and I signed it. “
Even described that the Jean -Claude Juncker“He was taken aback because he had stayed there to continue the discussions. When he saw what happened, on Sunday night he sent me a message “I send you a new proposal, gave the prime minister and apply for a new one to enter the program” because we knew we wouldn’t have ELA the next day. I gave it to Mr Tsipras, he told me “I find it interesting” and there were two discussions of Maximus and Eurogroup executives. Remember Monday night Mr. Dragasakis when they had this meeting and asked him about the referendum he said “let’s see if it will be done”. Unfortunately the talks collapsed on Tuesday and Wednesday we had capital controls »
Lafazan’s invasion
Prokopis Pavlopoulos also confirmed that about two hours after the start of the Council of Political Headsthe Panagiotis Lafazanis He arrived at the Presidency of the Republic and asked to see Alexis Tsipras.
“The door opened and I was told that Lafazan came and wants to talk to Tsipras who told me to stop to see what was going on. I saw that the meeting lasted. As I learned, Lafazanis told Tsipras that with this approach the “no” would be “yes” and ignored a proposal made by Russia. That Putin wanted to help Greece with money and if needed to cut a currency to leave the eurozone, “Mr. Pavlopoulos described.
Then he himself, “I told Tsipras that he should communicate. Lafazanis handled things that I was ignoring and I couldn’t imagine. The two went to the office of the Secretary General of the Presidency and Tsipras contacted Putin who told him complete ignorance. And that’s not what I say, he says, as Hollande describes in his book, that one or two days after they said to him “because you may have heard that I am entangled in Greece, I do not know who is messing with me, I have told them to stay in Europe”.
Asked about the minutes of the Council, the then President of the Republic responded “of course they were held”, adding that Alexis Tsipras and Zoe Konstantopoulou who asked for their publication “received a response from Mrs Sakellaropoulou and Mr. Tasoula, and the answers” and the answers ”
The phone call to open hearing with the ECB bankers
It was Friday 10th in Parliament, July 10 and 11 was the marathon debate in Brussels to have an agreement and that was the one who was voted on the House on the 15th of the month and ended there, to approve this by the House I could tell you what happened.
Speaking about the charged debate in Parliament on the approval of the agreement made by Alexis Tsipras after a long deal in Brussels, Prokopis Pavlopoulos remembered: “On the night of the debate in Parliament I got a phone call from the ECB that was meeting the ECB. Because they were watching the fuss in the House that SYRIZA had broken and that the Speaker of the House (Zoe Konstantopoulou) had come down from the step, they thought there was a problem. I told Yiannis Stournaras “Tell them I guarantee them, I think the positive votes will be over 210”. He took me after a while again and told me “put you in open hearing to tell the bankers.”
Tsipras: Pavlopoulos was an excellent President of the Republic
Speaking about the then President of the Republic, former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras referred to those days, saying that “the choice in Prokopis’ face was a one -way street for me and I do not regret it”. In terms of their cooperation, “Prokopis Pavlopoulos was an excellent President of the Republic”, adding that “his main characteristic was patriotism, the commitment to the national interest, but also the endless productivity and creativity”, as he said. “Every time the phone was ringing at home after 12 in the evening we all knew it would be the president,” Mr Tsipras concluded.
At the same time, the former President of the Republic “showed” the IMF’s first Greek program in the first Greek program, Angela Merkel, explaining that “I heard Mrs Merkel. This is half the truth, “Mr. Pavlopoulos stressed, while continuing to say that Mr Schoeble had been in favor of a European solution (without IMF). However, then the Chancellor allegedly told Mr Schoeble “if we form a European mechanism the Europeans are for the partners.” In this regard, “he loaded us the IMF,” he stressed for Angela Merkel for the first memorandum, to add that “it was a kind of predatory bed imposed by Mr Merkel” the first memorandum.
Speaking about Prokopis Pavlopoulos, Costas Karamanlis stressed that “he had been very critical for the nation as President of the Republic, showed a high sense of responsibility and has contributed decisively to ensuring political normalcy and European orientation. Today, his knowledge, his social and democratic sensitivity, his anxiety about national issues are essential, valuable contribution to our public life. And I would like to emphasize that cooperation, friendship, exchange of views with him are a special privilege for me, “concluded Kostas Karamanlis.
On his part, “in these issues, especially in nationals, as they are used to saying, and in Europe in general, I want to say that Mr. Karamanlis’ views and mine are in full, you know. So will you notice this too? Because we have lived together and together in the Karamanlis government and our views are identified. That is, it is not a topic of friendship. It is not a question that we belong to the same lineup, ”Mr Pavlopoulos responded, addressing strict recommendations to Turkey.
As Mr Pavlopoulos said of Angela Merkel, “let them see our program”, they still revealing to the Prespa agreement that “when I first saw it I said I didn’t sign it”. Finally, Mr. Pavlopoulos reiterated Turkey’s 3 timeless goals that are no other than: the control of all Cyprus sovereign rights in June, but the autonomy of Thrace and the creation of a Turkish minority in it.