Greek debt crisis: Gretigue? Alexis Tsipras vents on Twitter as bailout referendum and ECB decision looms
Maybe he's a bit tired and emotional as his country teeters on the edge of default – and let's face it, everyone else trying to keep up with developments in Greece certainly is, in what's been dubbed "Gretigue" – but Greek PM Alexis Tsipras has vented his frustrations in a hashtag fueled tirade against Europe's tactics.
In a series of late night and early morning Tweets before the Greek parliament's vote to hold a referendum on new bailout terms, Tsipras accused Europe's leaders of stifling democracy.
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614922800709636096
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614923748504940544
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614926254823862272
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614927860772532224
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614928525875920896
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614929249569476608
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614934863624310784
He claimed that a no vote by the Greek people in the referendum which is due to be held on 5 July, will give the country "a much stronger negotiating position".
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614936803603316736
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614938299409547264
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614939404885434368
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614941442646130688
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614941945807392768
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614944071522611200
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614945417348952064
https://twitter.com/tsipras_eu/status/614947089836077056
While the leaders of Greece and Europe have spent the week in face-to-face emergency talks which have ultimately been fruitless in terms of securing a new deal before Greece's default deadline with creditors, it was only via Twitter that Brussels learned of Tsipras's move to call a referendum, according to Bloomberg.
It's not the first time Tsipras has vented his frustrations with the week's negotiations on Twitter, but the mood has turned more sour as any hopes of an agreement look increasingly unlikely.
The European Central Bank is considering its emergency lifeline of loans to the country after Tsipras's surprise move to put new bailout deal terms to the public vote which won't be held until after its current terms expire.