EU to Make Example Out of 'Non-Conventional' Syriza to Deter Other Revolts

It is hard to understand the troika of international creditors' insistence on deep austerity and recessionary policies that have failed in Greece over the past five years, according to the head of the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov — Greece's lenders have assumed a tough stance at the negotiations on a new bailout deal to prevent similar situations from happening with the governments in other countries, the head of the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) told Sputnik on Friday.

Tuesday was the deadline for Greece and its lenders to agree a new bailout deal, hinged on austerity reforms. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras rejected the bailout proposals offered by the eurozone finance ministers.

According to Thanos Dokos, it is hard to understand the troika of international creditors', comprising the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and the Eurogroup, insistence on deep austerity and recessionary policies that have failed in Greece over the past five years.

"They can only be explained by the difficulties and the frustration of negotiating with the Syriza government [and] by the wish of important European officials and countries to make an example out of Syriza in order to preempt similar demands by other 'non-conventional' European political parties," the ELIAMEP’s head said.

Tsipras has announced a nationwide referendum to be held on Sunday on whether Greece should accept its creditors' demands for spending cuts and tax increases in exchange for further financial assistance in order to avoid defaulting on its debt and a possible exit from the eurozone.

The leader of the left-wing anti-austerity Syriza party called on voters to reject the bailout plan, claiming that 'no' vote would strengthen the country’s position in the negotiations.