Potami's Theodorakis pledges to support measures to keep Greece in euro

Gazzetta team 14 Ιουλίου 2015 - 17:47

Opposition Potami party leader Stavros Theodorakis on Tuesday repeated that his party will support the government and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras when the measures promised to Greece's creditors were tabled in Parliament, criticising the "ambivalence" from both SYRIZA MPs and other sections of the opposition.

"For us there is no dilemma. We will vote in favour of the measures that the prime minister has promised our partners," he said and stressed that there was no room for wavering between national and party interests.

While saying he could respect a reluctance on the part of MPs to vote in favour of the measures, he said that those disagreeing should resign from their seat in Parliament, not stay on the grounds that the measures will pass with the support of the opposition parties.

"The role of an MP comes with responsibility. It is not enough for someone to be an MP for the salary, the privileges, the presidency or vice-presidency," he pointed out. "It is not possible for the prime minister to make an agreement and some people to undermine this."

Theodorakis also stressed that Greece needed reform and change, saying that the prime minister must make clear which forces he intends to move forward with and ruling out Potami's participation in a SYRIZA government.

"We will support whatever we agree is for the benefit of the many. When we don't agree, we will say so. We keep our cards open and the question is whether we agree to the things Tsipras agreed to or not. Potami says 'yes'," Theodorakis said.

In an earlier meeting, according to sources, Potami MPs agreed to support a censure motion against Parliament President Zoi Konstantopoulou but said that the initiative must be taken by the prime minister. They also rejected a situation where the opposition parties supported measures not backed by the ruling majority in Parliament.