“We will not be accomplices in policies that destroy the economy and society” Antoni Samars commented, decreeing the failure of the agreement on extraordinary economic measures to deal with the debt crisis. The meeting, which ended in these hours, to try to reach a broad consensus between the majority and opposition parties, ended in stalemate. In the previous hours, even the leader of the far-right Laos party, having chatted with reporters, had launched vitriolic words against the other participants in the meeting.
The purpose of the meeting was to find shared measures for debt reduction. The European Union and the International Monetary Fund had asked the Greek authorities for a demonstration of their ability to find the necessary strength to face the crisis, creating areas of consensus around unpopular measures, such as possible tax increases. The model to follow is that of Portugal where the political forces have shared the bailout plan together with the IMF and the EU. On the table in Athens there was also the concrete possibility of opening the doors of the Government to men from the opposition.
This is the second unsuccessful attempt at an agreement in a few days. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Papandreu summoned the leaders of the main opposition forces to no avail. Today's meeting was wanted by President Papoulias, in the hope that the official involvement of several political forces could facilitate the agreement. In the light of the exposure of the first Greek institutional office, the negative outcome of the meeting certainly does not provide the reassurances that international observers are waiting for.
