Athens to Begin Talks With Creditors Immediately Following Greeks' Support

The Greek government has secured people's support to defend its position during talks with the international creditors and will start the negotiation process immediately, government spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis said Sunday.

ATHENS (Sputnik) – On Sunday, Greeks took to polling stations to express their opinion on the country’s creditors’ bailout plan.

"This result, with a slight majority for a ‘No’ vote, gives the government public support to act in extremely difficult circumstances. It pushes the government to protect its own suggestions, its position," Sakellaridis told local ANT1 channel.

He urged the Greek people to stay united irrespective of how they had voted at the referendum. The spokesman also noted that the negotiations would not start from square one.

Greece's main lenders include the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and some eurozone countries. It's debt to the main creditors is estimated at some $270 billion.

On June 30, a deadline for the previous bailout program expiry, Greece failed to make a $1.7-billion repayment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), causing the country to default on its IMF debt.