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Opinion: the #Greferendum insults direct democracy

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Elina Makri

Politics

We have faced the last few days comtemplating the BIG question posed by our government, and I am filled with complete horror, anger and disappointment. First of all, the question itself. How can we answer 'For' or 'Against' a proposal which is no longer on the table by the European Commission?

By Martina S.

How can they drag us to a referendum, in which either outcome does not guarantee that the banks will open next week or that the European Commission will feel the pressure of the Greek majority and loosen its pro-austerity pressure? Our leftist government has a fresh mandate that isn't even 6 months old, from the majority of Greek voters, to go and negotiate.

Why do they need a fresh one? For sure, they do not need it for further negotiation, so one may argue that they want it for the sake of their ideological dilutions of Soviet equality from the past century, or, with horror I add, to deceitfully snatch our vote to leave the Eurozone. This is the real question: Yes or No to the Eurozone and the European Union. Just thinking about the possibility of voluntarily leaving the EU fills me with anger.

We have enjoyed the EU prosperity since 1981, with many bright moments and many dark ones, for sure. The latter being the years following the global economic crisis. Yes, the measures have been hard, yes every Greek has faced a harsher new reality, but it would be even worse if we pulled ourselves out of the game. I fear of what may happen to a country banned from European funding and cast out from the global financial markets.

You have all seen the footage from Venezuela, Argentina and other countries trying to make it all alone in big globalised economy.  As a brief example, just contemplate on the fact that every single one of us, who enjoys all the merits of technology and evolution, must realise that this only could happen via economic growth which has enabled the funding of all these great ideas and the worldwide spread of this technology.

I smile every time an opposer of this economic system shares their comments through social media platforms, wanting to tell them that, if this economic growth didn't take place, his or her voice would never reach so many recipients and the only platform available would be the one in their town's main square.

Let's all open our eyes and see that this disgusting incident that they call a referendum is far from it. It clearly insults the core of direct democracy and surely insults Greek public opinion by trying to use false arguments to come to their long-wanted result: the instability of Greek society and a departure from the EU. We say 'Yes' to the European Union, 'Yes' to a future together and not apart with hate and deceitful leaders.

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