Prague, July 5 (CTK) – Greece cannot be kept in the euro zone against its will, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) said in reaction to the Greek referendum that clearly rejected the austerity measures demanded in exchange for new financial aid on Sunday.
The Greeks have chosen the worse and harder option not only for Greece but also for whole Europe, Sobotka said, referring to the possible departure of Greece from the euro zone.
Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek (CSSD) and former finance minister Miroslav Kalousek (TOP 09) talked about Greece leaving the euro zone, too.
“The space is opening for Greece to leave the euro zone,” Zaoralek said.
This new situation might be a new start and a real recovery for Greece under certain conditions, he said.
“It is rather a shock for Europe, but maybe we needed such a shock,” Zaoralek said.
Czech Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) said Greece should have never been in the euro zone.
“The euro was not only a currency project but also an economic project. This is why Greece should have never been in the euro zone,” Babis said.
Kalousek said it is hard to predict further development, but he considers the departure of Greece from the euro zone the most likely scenario.
This path would be long, chaotic and painful, which might affect the euro zone and indirectly the Czech Republic as well, he said.
But Kalousek said European leaders still may come with some resolute scenario that would calm down the markets.
Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Belobradek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) hopes that common sense would win despite the Greek “no” vote, he wrote CTK in an SMS message.
If common sense does not win, it will be unpleasant for the whole European Union, especially the eurozone countries, Belobradek wrote.
Babis said it was clear five years ago that Greece cannot pay its debts.
He said European politicians then burdened the tax payers with the financial claims of private creditors and now they would have a hard time explaining that a part of the debt would not be paid.
But Greece cannot manage the present crisis unless a part of its debt is forgiven, Babis said.
“Greece is actually in default and this game cannot last long,” Communist (opposition KSCM) deputy chairman Jiri Dolejs said, adding that no referendum result itself can bring a solution.
Civic Democrat (opposition ODS) leader Petr Fiala said the Greek referendum result should stop the series of economically ineffective and nonsensical loans provided by the creditors.
In an effort to maintain the dogma of deeper and deeper political integration, the European countries irretrievably lost 240 billion euros, Fiala said.
He said the Greek crisis should be a warning for the Czech Republic against irresponsible socialist economic politics and against ideologically motivated accession to the currency union, which has no advantage for Czechs in its present form.
“The Greeks chose to say “No” and the irresponsible government of Alexis Tsipras is celebrating. But after sobering up they will find out that there is nothing to celebrate,” TOP 09 deputy head Marek Zenisek said.
Greece wasted the time that it could have used in a similar way to Portugal and Ireland, which managed to get out of their crisis, Zenisek said.
“Unfortunately, they decided for a different path, although a deal was nearly made,” he said.
