Meetings were convened today between the ruling SYRIZA Party and other opposition lawmakers before the government's parliamentary group meeting.
Greek Prime Minister met the newly appointed head of PASOK, Fofi Gennimata, To Potami leader Stavros Theodorakis and New Democracy MP Dora Bakoyanni.
Gennimata, an ex-minister and daughter of Georgios Gennimatas (1939–1994), a former senior official in the Panhellenic Socialist party which once dominated Greek politics, was elected as the 5th PASOK President on Sunday, becoming the first female leader of the party since its foundation.
Although the meetings with Theodorakis and Gennimata were expected. The meeting with Bakoyanni came as a surprise as former Prime Minister and current New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras has excluded Bakoyanni from this round of talks at a crucial time for the negotiation and for the political course of the country. Sources close to the talks say that Alexis Tsipras seeks the support of the New Democracy MPs who have confidence in the government's negotiating efforts and will support SYRIZA with their vote.
All three opposition lawmakers have expressed their support of an agreement with Greece's creditors, with Gennimata announcing on Monday, shortly after being elected PASOK leader, that "the negotiations are a national affair". Also, she did not rule out cooperating with George Papandreou and the officials who left PASOK to form the Movement of Democratic Socialists in January.
Former Greek Prime Minister and Movement of Democratic Socialists leader George Papandreou has also made a statement referring to a collective acquiescence between the various political parties.
Gennimata speaking to reporters following her meeting with Alexis Tsipras has warned that it would be a “disaster” if the country fails to reach a deal with creditors. She reintroduced a proposal previously submitted by PASOK for establishing a national negotiation team and stressed that an agreement should be reached as soon as possible.
Stavros Theodorakis has also urged the Prime Minister to agree a deal. Emerging from talks with Tsipras Theodorakis told reporters:
“I called on the prime minister to consider that the Greek economy is desperately close to its limits....Greek society is suffering from the constant postponement of a deal.”
“It is a critical time, a time that we should struggle to reach national concord” said New Democracy MP Dora Bakoyannis after her meeting with the Prime Minister, adding that "we all have an obligation to try to keep Greece in the euro zone."
Tsipras will brief Syriza lawmakers on the negotiations with Greece's international lenders at 1 p.m. on Tuesday after the meeting with opposition party MP's.