New Democracy party spokesman Yiannis Mihelakis, in statements to an Athens radio station on Saturday, proposed a televised debate between ND leader Antonis Samaras and Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alexis Tsipras. Mihelakis proposed that the debate take place in the week before the elections on June 17. In regards to an alleged proposal by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the possibility of holding a referendum (on whether or not the Greeks want to stay in the eurozone), Mihelakis reiterated that a referendum cannot take place and stressed that the citizens have given a specific mandate.