Tsipras: German Taxpayers Should Not be Afraid of a SYRIZA Govt

His commitment that German taxpayers have nothing to be afraid of in the case of a new Greek government led by leftist anti-austerity party SYRIZA, expressed in an article for German business daily newspaper “Handelsblatt,” the party’s leader, Alexis Tsipras.

The Greek main opposition leader’s article comes within a period when speculation regarding a possible renegotiation of the Greek debt’s loan conditions, in case SYRIZA wins the upcoming January 25 elections, is increasing, sparking worries in the country’s European partners. In addition, concerns have also been expressed concerning the possibility of SYRIZA demanding a further reduction in the Greek foreign debt, which according to German economists cited by Reuters, would cost German taxpayers some 40 billion euros.

“German taxpayers have nothing to fear from a SYRIZA government. On the contrary. It is not our goal to aim for a confrontation with our partners, to get more credits or a license for new deficits… The aim is to stabilize the country, reach a balanced primary budget and end the bloodletting from German and Greek taxpayers,” Tsipras wrote, banishing the fears expressed in Berlin.

At the same time, Tsipras, whose party is steadily leading the opinion polls just 12 days ahead of the critical Greek elections, believes that Greece would only be able to repay its debt if austerity measures were scrapped. “The truth is that the Greek debt won’t be paid back as long as our economy is continuously exposed to ‘fiscal waterboarding'”, he highlighted, adding that his intention is to keep Greece within the Eurozone: “Our goal is to reach a new agreement – within the Eurozone – that would allow the Greek people to breathe… and to live in dignity by restoring debt sustainability and find a way out of recession through financing growth,” Tsipras wrote, according to Reuters.