Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has addressed Syriza's central committee to defend his actions and call for unity.
At a meeting of the party's 200-member central committee, Tsipras was facing dissenters who argue the Left has abandoned its principles over the past six months.
During his address the Greek premier defended his actions to reach a deal with the country's EU/IMF creditors by saying that a better alternative did not exist and will not exist. Whoever chooses not to accept problems of Grexit is either "willfully neglecting reality or hiding the truth," Tsipras said further adding that a potential “Grexit would force Greece into devaluation and going back to IMF for support.”
If Syriza members wanted "No" to mean Grexit, they should have argued for this in party before referendum was held, says Tsipras referring to the July 5 referendum where an overwhelming majority of Greeks voted against the austerity demands of international creditors.
The Greek premier claimed that his government's tactics have forced the rest of Europe to reconsider their approach to debtor nations. “We, a leftist government and a small country, created the first rifts in the neoliberal hegemony of Europe. We have to give definitive answer on whether a leftist government can exist in liberal, conservative Europe” Tsipras said.
He threw down the gauntlet to his party rebels, asking them to propose an alternative path from the current bail-out agreement or get in line. “If someone believes another government could have brought back better deal they should says so” Tsipras said.
The PM has called on the central committee to hold an internal ballot on the bail-out conditions in September, when the bailout agreement is finalized and the country has escaped the danger of bankruptcy. Syriza's hard Left elements however are pushing for holding a referendum of Syriza members to decide whether the negotiations should proceed. If the committee decides to hold a referendum, it could take place this weekend.