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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-07-23
CONTENTS
[01] PM Tsipras: Negotiations were tough, but not in vain
[01] PM Tsipras: Negotiations were tough, but not in vain
The government's struggle in the negotiations with its European partners
will not have been waged in vain, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said
late on Wednesday night, during the debate in Parliament on the second
package of prior actions demanded by Greece's creditors.
"I am deeply convinced that this struggle will not go to waste. What is
wasted is the battles not fought," Tsipras said, adding "Not only do I
not regret this struggle, I am proud I fought it, because the rights of
the Greek people were heard throughout the world."
"We were led to a difficult compromise, having exhausted every negotiating
option, we touched the limits of the Greek economy and of the banking
system," he said, adding that the government also revealed through its
efforts the limits and tolerance of Europe before the democratic choices
of its peoples.
Tsipras underlined that Europe is at present led by conservative
powers that want to keep Greece to a harsh dogma of austerity. "In this
unfavourable framework, we fought for six months," he said.
"We made mistakes," he said, but he deeply felt pride for waging the
battle, which was fought against unfavourable odds. "Mistakes are only
made by those who do not try," he said.
In his speech, the prime minister asserted that the changes in the
Code of Civil Procedure being approved tonight did not jeopardise the
protection of families' main homes, a commitment made during a meeting
with the Hellenic Bank Association; in the fall, a draft bill will be
introduced to suspend auctions of first homes, he said. "The existence
of this government provides a constant gurarantee of protection of the
first home; without this guarantee, we do not exist," he underlined.
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