Giannis Dragasakis

The Greek government withdrew the draft including the parallel program following the reaction of Greece’s lenders who even threatened to freeze the disbursement of the 1bln installment.

Bank of Greece Governor Yiannis Stournaras called on the country’s party leaders on Sunday to maintain their political consensus and help pull Greece out of the financial crisis once and for all.

The government has yet to make announcements concerning the future of mortgage homeowners whose primary residence’s are in danger in negotiations between the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) and Greece’s creditors (European Commission, European Central Bank, European Stability Mechanism and the International Monetary Fund).

Former citizen protection minister Giannis Panousis’ accusations concerning links between the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) ruling party and terrorist group, Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire, have caused a political stir in the government. SYRIZA officials are downplaying the severity of his claims, despite the domino of revelations that are coming to light in a political avalanche.

Government Vice President Giannis Dragasakis will chair the economic policy council scheduled to convene at 3 p.m.on Wednesday.

The countdown is on for an 86-billion-euro bailout deal between Greece and its creditors from the European Commission, European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund and European Stability Mechanism. Members of the Greek negotiation team left the EFC teleconference meeting on Friday evening, shortly before midnight, with smiles that are indicative that the talks are going as planned.

On the one hand, IMF Chief Christine Lagarde sends a representative of the IMF – Delia Velculescu to Greece and invites Athens to trust the values of the agreement and to support these changes, on the other hand the Prime minister invites his ministers to handle ‘existence’ issues in SYRIZA, and looks at the numbers game of the internal factions within the Party.

Louka Katseli, Chair of the Greek Banking Association, told private SKAI TV that if there is no solution to Greece receiving Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA) from the European Central Bank, then Greek banks would have a problem by Monday.

Deputy Prime Minister Giannis Dragasakis told the pro-government radio station Sto Kokkino on Friday Greeks are faced with a crucial choice that they need to make amid a climate of pressure and “blackmail”.

Absolute panic was noted at dawn on Friday when Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras made his shock announcement for a referendum. People rushed to ATM machines withdrawing as much as they could in the fear that banks may close leaving people without money. Huge lines formed as people waited to withdraw as much money as possible.