Katerina Sergidou, secretary of the coordination committee of Syriza in Athens
Katerina Sergidou, secretary of the coordination committee of Syriza in Athens, is currently in Spain to support the launch of the manifesto "For the change in Greece". "If he's a star that says no to the troika, then he's welcome," she says about Yanis Varoufakis. "Unfortunately, the KKE (Greek Communist Party) would be a very good ally but they didn't want to collaborate with Syriza." Interview by Mario Pais Beiro for eldiario.es
The new Syriza government in Greece has raised hopes across Europe. Their Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis, is in contact with the troika and Greece's creditors to renegotiate the payment of the country's debt. With this as a backdrop, Katrina Sergidou, member of the Syriza Coordination Committee in Athens is in Madrid. Her presence is motivated by the presentation of the manifesto "For the change in Greece", a platform seeking popular support for the new Greek government and its demands.
What is the current situation in Greece?Right now in Greece we are going through a moment of history, the following days are crucial.
The new government is working to break the isolation and respond to the blackmail of the troika and the lenders who don't want Syriza to apply the measures they have declared. They don't want Greece to become an example in Europe of a people who have won their dignity and say they aren't going to pay the debt, which isn't ours, and that we don't want memoranda.For this
we need the support of people from Spain and the whole of Europe, that's why the platform being organised here is very important. What we are thinking about now is to constitute these committees in Greece to support the new Government and that they coordinate with others emerging in other parts of Europe. Because
behind the government and Yanis Varoufakis there is great support.What do you hope for from the negotiations with the European Union? If the EU doesn't give in, what is the way out for Alexis Tsipras's government?For now the EU has decided to blackmail the new government. We know it's a difficult fight. We are asking for more time and we won't turn back. We are fighting to bring down the memorandum. We want a bridging programme and we won't step back from this.What I mean is that it isn't our responsibility what will happen if they don't accept what we're saying. They don't have a plan B either when they decided that a country such as Greece should have memoranda and such a big debt. That's why we want the support of everyone in Europe. We are going step by step. If they do something similar to what they did to Cyprus, such strong blackmail, then we will see what to do. But really I believe that they don't want a big crisis in the middle of Europe and if that's what they decide, they will have a big problem.
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