Below is the transcript of Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias’ interview, as broadcast by Italian public television’s RAI TRE, on the evening news, with journalist Maria Cuffaro:
Introduction: There are just three days remaining before the referendum that all of Europe is awaiting, and on which all of the Eurozone leaders have taken a stance. While the Foreign Ministry’s work continues, Mr. Kotzias’ just received his Belgian counterpart.
N. KOTZIAS: The referendum is a democratic exercise. On Sunday we will vote on an agreement that I believe is unacceptable to Greeks. We are forced to vote under extremely difficult conditions, with the European Central Bank having cut off liquidity, forcing us to close our banks.
JOURNALIST: But will you be in a position to open them on Monday?
N. KOTZIAS: I believe that Europe has to stop playing with us. We need liquidity to open our banks. We can’t open them without a new injection of liquidity. I hope that no one in Europe has an interest in throwing Greece into chaos. We are in the midst of a very complex geopolitical state of affairs. There is the crisis in Libya, the crisis in Ukraine.
JOURNALIST: You just signed an agreement with Putin.
N. KOTZIAS: We signed a commercial agreement. But if my friend Mr. Gentiloni goes to Moscow, or Mr. Fabius meets with Putin, they are good and clever. Even Ms. Merkel is an angel when she meets with Mr. Putin. But I am seen as a devil if I go to Moscow to sign an agreement. The German’s signed an agreement similar to ours on the North Stream, and no one protested.
JOURNALIST: Have you spoken with President Obama?
N. KOTZIAS: The Americans helped us explain the geopolitical framework to the Europeans. And I know that they are the only ones who can intervene in the IMF. They can use their right to a veto internally.
JOURNALIST: Do you believe the IMF’s involvement was a mistake?
N. KOTZIAS: It was a problem, but it was a mistake that a portion of the debt wasn’t forgiven in 2010, and that unacceptable austerity measures were imposed. In the end, the German and French banks were secured, but not Greece.
JOURNALIST: What’s going to happen on Monday?
N. KOTZIAS: We await the reopening of the negotiations and solidarity from Europe.
July 3, 2015