Tsipras Calls for SYRIZA Support

Tsipras criticized the government, saying that "we have before us an imposed and tottering government".

He accused Prime Minister and New Democracy party leader Antonis Samaras and PASOK party leader Evangelos Venizelos of "going ahead with electoral extortion when they tell the Greek people 'Vote for us because Merkel, Barroso, Juncker want us'," he said, referring to European leaders, and adding that "the government's purpose is to continue with new measures, new cutbacks, new taxes and a new looting and sellout of our country's wealth".

During his address Tsipras referred to the results of the first round of the local government elections and stressed that "a great step was taken last Sunday for the country's good riddance from memorandums, savagery, guardianship and their political expressors" and that "Athens, Attica, a series of municipalities and regions gave their hopeful message. Young people, new forces, new ethics are breaking into local administration powerfully".

Tsipras also stressed that "I am certain that all leftists, the communists who are aware how crucial unity was in the history of the working class movement, as well as all democratic citizens, regardless of differences and disagreements, will do their duty this Sunday".

Responding to the speech, government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said that "Greeks are able to see and judge." The premier, he said, "presented a comprehensive growth program. Tsipras and SYRIZA are repeating spooky messages," he said.