Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-10-16

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Alavanos calls for referenda on Reform Treaty

[01] Alavanos calls for referenda on Reform Treaty

Alavanos made it clear that SYRIZA is opposed to the new treaty, which is expected to be ratified by the informal EU summit in Lisbon next Thursday, while he accused the government of failing to inform the public or Parliament on this issue.

According to SYRIZA's leader, the prime minister "has no moral right to sign a joint communique of the 27 [EU member-states] because there has been no discussion, no briefing, neither of the people nor, even more importantly, of the Greek Parliament regarding the new text of the EU Constitution."

According to Alavanos, the entire process took place behind closed doors between legal experts and representatives of governments, in conditions of absolute untransparency that were far from citizens and national Parliaments.

Regarding the contents of the Reform Treaty, Alavanos pointed out that this was actually merely a summary of the earlier European Constitutional Treaty that had already been rejected by French and Dutch voters in separate referenda.

He stressed that no change and no new European Treaty, Constitution or 'mini-Constitution' could be formulated and approved without the participation of national Parliaments, the European Parliament and the citizens of the EU.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photograph of Coalition of the Radical Left leader Alekos Alavanos.

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