While speaking on the Real FM radio station, Sakellaridis noted that the government wants the "political legitimacy" granted by a parliamentary vote, but is not going to opt instead for a parliamentary debate.
"The reason the government chooses not to bring the agreement to parliament for approval is because this is just an extension of the loan agreement. We don't want to give more weight to the text. At the moment, we accept the signature of the finance ministry. But the debate will be open, transparent," Sakellaridis told journalist Nikos Chatzinikolaou.The government spokesman said that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is not opposed to a debate in parliament, nor afraid of objections from within the SYRIZA party.
Sakellaridis' comments were immediately slammed by all political parties. PASOK described the move as "a flagrant violation of the Constitution and an insult to the Parliament’s legislative jurisdiction while the Potami party (The River) said the PM must bring the deal for approval to achieve the widest possible consensus.
On the other hand the Greek Communist Party (KKE) said that "the pretexts used [by the government] to avoid its obvious obligation are aimed solely at hiding the fact that it is... not only committed to maintaining the same obligations and laws included in the Memorandum, but also adopts similar practices as those of the previous government."
Asked by Chatzinikolaou on whether or not Greece will be able to repay its loan installment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Greek government spokesman said that the government is looking at all possible solutions to the problem and is going to fulfill all its debt obligations.
References - Real FM, ANA-MPA
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