The people of Greece say NO to the troika’s proposals in the referendum. The democratic system and the hope in the future of Europe emerge strengthened.
The “institutions” – or rather the Troika – wanted the Greek government to accept draconian conditions in order to extend the economic “rescue” of the state and Greek banks. The Syriza government was negotiating these conditions over several months, and finally they decided to consult the people, as these conditions were very far from the electoral programme on which the party won the last general elections in January of this year.
The immediate response of European governments and the IMF was to oppose the referendum, although I guess that soon they realised that this looked bad if they wanted to keep looking democratic. So they changed strategy and, accompanied by the majority of private media, they started to campaign for YES in the referendum, trying to scare the Greek population with the phantom of disaster, in order to thereby give a green light to the Troika’s proposal, which wouldn’t bring anything other than more misery and poverty, but within the European economic framework.
Nevertheless, the people have not allowed themselves to be swayed and have voted by a landslide for NO, which in reality is a YES to the direction that Syriza wants to impose on events in their impoverished country. It’s a YES of hope for a Europe of the people and clearly a NO to a Europe of capitals.
A few years ago, when the Arab “Springs” started in Tunisia and Egypt, I wrote a short article called, “The Egyptian Lesson” in which I reflected on the possibility that the example of these countries could extend to European countries, something difficult to foresee in that moment. However, shortly afterwards 15M awoke in Spain followed by other similar initiatives such as Occupy Wall Street, etc. Today, Greece said NO to the savage adjustment plans promoted by the majority of European governments and international financial institutions. This NO could extend to other countries of the continent, which would paint a completely new – and much more hopeful – panorama for the European project. In Spain, we already see symptoms, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if these symptoms soon infect other populations. I ask for this prophecy to come true!
