ATHENS (Sputnik) — There is no better bailout deal than the one the Greek government struck with its international creditors earlier this month, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Thursday.
"[A] better alternative did not exist and does not exist… if someone believes another government could have brought back a better deal they should say so," Tsipras said when addressing the ruling party Syriza’s central committee, as quoted by the Kathimerini newspaper.
Greece owes about $270 billion of its $350-billion total debt to its main creditors — the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund and Eurozone nations.
Tsipras Proposes Internal Syriza Referendum August 9
Addressing a Syriza central committee session, Tsipras called for an extraordinary open congress of Syriza party in September.
"There is an opinion that the blackmail [by creditors] was not real and there should be no agreement… I propose to address this aspect that concerns not only the short-term strategy of the [Syriza] party, but the whole country and all the Greek people, to the party members by organizing a referendum next Sunday," Tsipras said.
On July 13, Eurozone leaders reached a preliminary agreement on a new bailout for Greece, with a $95-billion aid package to be given to the country over the next three years in exchange for economic reforms.
Greece is currently in talks with its lenders over the final agreement, seeking to finalize the negotiations by August 12.
Soon after that, Tsipras reshuffled his cabinet, firing ministers who opposed the new deal.
