"We are in the final stretch of concluding a deal with the institutions…Despite the difficulties we are facing — we hope this agreement can end uncertainty on the future of Greece and of the Eurozone," Tsipras told the agricultural ministry.
When Tsipras talks numbers, it usually involves huge sums of money needed to pay off national debt or negative unemployment figures in the country. But in his speech to the Greek Ministry of Rural Development, Tsipras promised to use $6.6 billion (six billion euros) from the bailout deal to create 50,000 jobs.
#EU forces #Tsipras to his knees. #Greece, already lying on the ground, strangles its own tourism and agriculture. #austerity is EUs shame!!
— D. Gavin (@Metafrastis) July 10, 2015
"Knowledge, training and innovation and connection are priorities for the plan to work," said Tsipras, unveiling his intentions for a fairer tax system for farmers. New farmers would receive a 30 percent reduction in their income tax for the first three years of work.
But first, Greece needs to secure $93 billion (86 billion euros) in loans to keep the country’s economy above water for the next three years. It must also settle a $3.8 billion (3.5 billion euros) debt to the European Central Bank in fifteen days’ time.
Painful Compromise
The Greek government approved an expenditure reduction package imposed by the Troika (including increasing VAT and shrinking pensions) against the democratic wishes of the Greek people who voted "No" to more austerity measures, despite wishing to remain in the Eurozone.
But it seems, despite ignoring the people, Tsipras remains determined to fulfill their wishes to remain in the Eurozone. The PM has expressed hope that a final bailout deal will stop the uncertainty on Greece’s position in the EU.
"If we do not work hard to create a framework of counterbalance to these policies, counterbalance for the social groups that will be hurt by these policies, then we will have negative results," he told the Agricultural Ministry.
My interview on @stokokkino1055 has begun. Listen to it live here: http://t.co/5uX09Q7D53 #Greece pic.twitter.com/MTolC63vz5
— Alexis Tsipras (@tsipras_eu) July 29, 2015
And in a recent interview with Sto Kokkino, a radio station politically close to Syriza, Tsipras revealed the deal with the Troika was "a painful compromise". The interview has also been published on L’Humanite in French and translated by Eric Canepa on Transform!.
"It’s a painful compromise, both on the economic and the political level. You know, compromise is an element of political reality and an element of revolutionary tactics."
"Lenin is the first to speak of compromise in his book 'Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder.'
"We are completely aware that we are risking our heads in waging a struggle at the political level. But we are waging it with the overwhelming majority of the Greek people at our side. This is what gives us strength."
