Greek women and men,
We are at a critical juncture concerning the future of this country.
Sunday's referendum is not about staying or not in the eurozone.
This is a given and no one can contest it. (staying in the Eurozone)
On Sunday we choose whether or not to accept the agreement or claim directly, and given the popular verdict, a more viable solution.
In any case I want to assure the Greek people that the firm intention of the government is to reach an agreement with its partners, in terms of sustainability and prospects.
Already after our decision on giving the referendum better proposals fell on our table of negotiations and the necessity of restructuring the debt, than those we had until Friday.
We did not let them fall on the ground. Immediately we offered our counterproposals asking again for a more viable solution and for this reason convened yesterday the Eurogroup which will discuss again this afternoon.
If there is a positive outcome we will respond immediately. In any case, the Greek government remains on the table and will remain until the end. And it will be there Monday, immediately after the referendum with better terms for the Greek side. [Here's where he refers to the what the FT published (bolded above). Why didn't the mainstream media pick it up from his speech?]
Because always the popular verdict is much stronger than the will of a government.
And I want to reiterate that the democratic choice is at the core of European traditions.
In very important moments in European history, the people in referenda were making important decisions.
This happened in France and in many other countries with the referendum for the EE constitution. This happened in Ireland, where a referendum temporarily canceled the Treaty of Lisbon and led to renegotiation, where Ireland won better terms.
Unfortunately, in the case of Greece we are given other standards.
Personally I never expected the democratic Europe to not understand the need to give space and time to a people to choose sovereignly for his future.
The prevalence of extreme conservative circles led to the decision to bring the country's banks to suffocation. With the obvious intention to move the blackmail of the government to every citizen separately.
It really is unacceptable in a Europe of solidarity and mutual respect to have these images of shame.
To close the banks, just because the government decided to give a voice to the people.
And lead to inconvenience thousands of elderly people that the government, despite the financial crunch took care and ensured that their pension were in their accounts.
Faced with these people we owe an explanation.
To protect your own pensions we fight so many months.
To protect your right to a decent pension and not a mere tip.
The proposals that we were called to sign through blackmail were asking for a vast reduction of pensions.
And this is why we refused.
And that is why today they take their revenge on us.
To the Greek Government was given an ultimatum to implement exactly the same recipe and all outstanding issues of the memorandum which have not been applied.
And even without any provision for debt and finance.
Their ultimatum was not accepted.
The obvious way out was to reach out to the people because democracy has no deadlocks.
And that’s what we are doing.
I am well aware that in these times the sirens of destruction rage.
We are being blackmailed and invited to vote YES on all measures demanded by lenders and without any prospect for exit from the crisis.
They want you to say Yes to everything, like those bad days of parliament we have now behind us, Yes to all.
They want you to become like them.
Complicit in perpetuating the memoranda.
On the other hand, the NO is not simply a slogan.
NO is a decisive step for a better deal we aim to be signed immediately after the result of Sunday.
It is the clear choice of the people on how to live the next day.
NO does not mean rupture with Europe, but return to the Europe of values.
NO means: strong pressure for an economically viable agreement that solves the debt, it means No to indefinitely undermining our effort to redress the Greek economy and society.
No means a strong pressure for a deal that is socially fair, which will allocate the burden on those who have the money rather than the employees and the pensioners.
An agreement that will result to the return of the country again in the international financial markets and give an end to the supervisions and guardianships.
An agreement containing the reforms that will punish once and for all the corruption that fueled all these years the political system.
An agreement that at the same time deals with the humanitarian crisis, creating a comprehensive safety net for those who are currently marginalized precisely because these policies were applied all these years in our country.
Greek men and women,
I am fully aware of the difficulties.
I undertake personally that I will do everything in my hand that these difficulties are temporary.
Some insist to link the outcome of the referendum with the country staying in the euro.
They say, indeed, that I have a hidden plan that if OXI=No prevails, to pull the country out of the EU.
They are knowingly lying.
Those who say it are those who were lying before.
Those who say it offer a very poor service to the people and Europe.
Besides, you know, I was myself a year ago, presidential candidate of the European Commission in the European elections.
Before the Europeans even then I took the position that the austerity policies must stop, that the memorandums are not the way to end the crisis.
That the programs implemented in Greece were unsuccessful.
That Europe must stop acting undemocratic.
A few months later in January 2015, our people corroborated this estimate.
Unfortunately some in Europe still refuse to understand it, refuse to admit it.
Those who want a Europe stuck at authoritarianist logic, in a logic that fails to respect democracy, those who want Europe a superficial union with the IMF as the adhesive, they are not visionaries for Europe.
They are fearful politicians, unable to think as Europeans.
Next to them, the domestic political system, having led the country into bankruptcy, now plans to shed the burdens on us for trying to stop the march of destruction.
And, indeed, they are dreaming that they will be restored in leadership.
They talk about a coup. Democracy is not a coup.
Greek women and men,
I wholeheartedly thank you for your sobriety and composure which are revealed every hour of this difficult week.
I want to assure you that this situation will not continue for long.
It is temporary.
The salaries and pensions will not be lost.
The deposits of the citizens who chose not to evacuate their money abroad will not be lost on the altar of expediency and extortion.
I personally assume responsibility for the direct solution immediately after the democratic process of the referendum.
At the same time, I urge you to strengthen this negotiating effort, I invite you to say NO to the recipes of the memoranda that destroy Europe.
I invite you to respond positively to the prospect of a lasting solution.
To open a glorious page of democracy.
And a sure hope for a better deal.
It is our responsibility to our parents, to our children, to ourselves.
It is our duty towards history.
Thank you
