Alexis Tsipras

In sacrificing his foreign minister for the sake of the defence minister, the prime minister yesterday made a clear choice. He chose to remain in power at all costs, instead of governmental normalcy.

The resignation comes straight on the heels of yesterday’s stormy cabinet meeting, during which Kotzias lambasted Defence Minister Panos Kammenos, Tsipras’ junior coalition partner, after Kammenos on an official visit to Washington trashed the government’s Greece-FYROM Prespa Agreement and presented his own “Plan B”.

The two party leaders reiterated their intention to continue their political collaboration in the coalition government at least until March, when the Prespa Agreement is expected to be tabled in the Greek Parliament

'Since the referendum was consultative, and not mandatory, it is now up to the Members of Parliament, chosen by the people, to make a decision respecting and following the interests of the citizens, the country and their personal duty,' Zaev told Ta Nea in an exclusive interview.

President Prokopis Pavlopoulos issued a thinly veiled call for the two countries to agree to take the issue to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

What would Greece receive in return by turning the country into a US military base? How would it be shielded in terms of defence?

The government has not answered basic questions about secret understandings reached by Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and PM Alexis Tsipras [with the FYROM side], behind the back of opposition parties and the Greek people.

Panos Kammenos is on edge because his party literally disintegrated, both in the polls and on the level of cadres.

Meetings have been arranged with executives of the Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley, as well as with representatives of large investment groups and capital management funds.

'We are a very patient creditor, but we can stop the debt relief measures that we have agreed to with Greece, if the adjustment programme does not continue as we have agreed.'

The strategic cooperation of the two sides is now very deep. Athens has entirely embraced the “US energy doctrine”, which seeks to isolate Russia.

Let the PM do what is necessary to regain the trust of creditors and investors, with the knowledge that this will not include drums and packages of handouts