Greek crisis: Junker says Greece’s referendum result is an “irrelevant circus”
President of the European Commission, Jean-Claud Juncker, has told Greek voters that the country’s referendum result is an “irrelevant circus” as it was based on an illegitimate question.
He accused the Greek government of ignoring rationality and acting emotionally by calling a vote, questioning if a “no” vote really meant no.
This comes just days after Juncker said he felt betrayed by Alexis Tsipras after the debt negotiations had failed.
Read more: Jean-Claude Juncker says he feels "betrayed" by Alexis Tsipras after debt negotiations fail
We are told we must respect the Greek people’s vote. The people of Greece have spoken and I would like to understand what they have said. I am told it is not a no to Europe. It is not a no to the euro. It is certainly not a no to the document because it is not on the table anymore, he told MEPs.
The vote was illegitimate as it was a vote for austerity measures that were part of a bailout programme that had legally expired before the vote took place.
The question that was put to the Greek people is about something that doesn't exist. Could you explain to me what the question that was put was? Maybe that would be too much of a circus, he said.
We really do need to understand what it means to understand the vote of the Greek people. The Greek people voted no by majority on a text that is no longer on the table. I shall be asking the Greek prime minister to explain the vote as the question is irrelevant.
This may put a spanner in the works for Alexis Tsipras who was intending to use the vote as a mandate for a deal which gave better conditions for Greece on issues of austerity and debt relief.