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Poll: 6 out of 10 Greeks Believe a New Memorandum Is Coming by Philip Chrysopoulos The Greek Reporter, May 31 <http://greece.greekreporter.com/2015/05/31/poll-6-out-of-10-greeks-believe-a-new-memorandum-is-coming> A new opinion poll shows that 6 out of 10 Greeks believe that the agreement the government will sign with creditors will be a new Memorandum, while the number of those who intent to vote for SYRIZA if elections were held today is dropping. According to the poll, SYRIZA maintains a strong lead over New Democracy on vote intention, however the SYRIZA percentage is shrinking while the number of those who are undecided is increasing. Specifically, if elections were held today, SYRIZA would get 33.3%, New Democracy 24.1%, “To Potami” 6.3%, the Greek Communist Party (KKE) 5.3%, Independent Greeks (ANEL) 5.3%, Golden Dawn 5.1%, PASOK 3.1%, “other party” 5.4%, while 12.2% are undecided. At the same time, 61.2% of participants believe that a new agreement would mean a new Memorandum with austerity measures, while 26.6% said that the deal will be in accord with SYRIZA pre-election pledges. Also, 58.9% said that the delay to reach an agreement “frightens them.” Just 28.6% stated they are satisfied that negotiations are prolonged. Furthermore, 60.1% believe that an agreement will be signed eventually, while 21.7% say that there will be a dead-end in negotiations. Regarding coalition government supporters, 60.5% of SYRIZA and 60.9% of ANEL voters said the deal will not be far from pre-election pledges, while 33.2% of SYRIZA and 58.7% of ANEL voters would like to see the government holding a harder stance in negotiations, even if that means Greece’s exit from the Eurozone. Regarding a referendum, 53.6% believe that if the government reaches an agreement, there is no need for a referendum but a Parliament approval would suffice. If there is no agreement, 48.8% said they would like to see a coalition government that would include all Parliament parties. At the same time, 53.6% are against snap elections in the event that there is no deal with creditors. Alexis Tsipras remains the preferred Prime Minister as 44.5% of participants are satisfied with his performance so far. On the contrary, just 33.2% are satisfied with the performance of the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition overall. As for the economy’s future, 6 out of ten Greeks believe that the situation in Greece and their finances will be worse in the next 12 months. Administration optimistic deal can be reached within 48 hours Times of Change, Greece, May 31 <http://www.thetoc.gr/eng/news/article/administration-optimistic-deal-can-be-reached-within-48-hours> There are significant chances that Greece and the lenders will manage to reach a deal within the next few days, according to government sources. At the same time that optimism continues to emerge from the prime ministerial offices, EU officials have noted significant progress has been made in talks between the technical teams of the Brussels Group. . . . Following yesterday’s marathon 8 hour meeting of those in charge of the political negotiations at the Prime Minister’s offices, chaired by Alexis Tsipras, government sources have spoken of an ‘overall improvement in critical issues,’ but also of gaps, ‘which remain and which an effort is being made to cover.’ Indeed, according to reports which were not confirmed during yesterday’s meeting, the drafting of a provisional agreement was begun, given that there was a convergence of views over VAT, restricting early retirements and the gradual unification of social security funds. The key goal of Athens and the prime minister’s office is for any agreement to have a reference to a future restructuring of the debt and to a package of measures aimed at triggering growth in order for it to be passed in parliament with as few losses as possible within SYRIZA and the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition. Panaritis appointed Greece's IMF representative amid SYRIZA complaints I Kathimerini, Athens, May 30 <http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_30/05/2015_550545> The appointment of economist Elena Panaritis as Greece’s new representative at the International Monetary Fund has prompted criticism from within SYRIZA, as well as from opposition parties. The Finance Ministry announced on Friday evening that Panaritis, who has worked at the World Bank in the past, would be replacing Greece’s current representative Thanos Katsambas. Sources said that Alternate Foreign Minister Euclid Tsakalotos opposed the appointment, Deputy Prime Minister Yiannis Dragasakis was neutral but that Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and Development Minister Giorgos Stathakis backed the proposal. Panaritis was a PASOK MP between 2009 and 2012. Over the last few months, she has been an adviser to Varoufakis and has been involved in Greece’s negotiations with lenders. Her appointment failed to impress a number of SYRIZA officials. MEP Dimitris Papadimoulis called on Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to rethink the government’s choice, while MP Sofia Sakorafa said that the decision to appoint the ex-PASOK lawmaker went “beyond the limit.” PASOK accused Panaritis of being a "political opportunist." Greek government faces internal backlash over pick for IMF representative reporting by Angeliki Koutantou, editing by Deepa Babington Reuters, May 31 <http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/31/us-eurozone-greece-imf-idUSKBN0OG0V220150531?> ATHENS - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras faced a backlash on Sunday from his leftist party lawmakers over the government's pick for the country's representative at the International Monetary Fund, the latest issue to deepen divisions in the ruling party. The rift was triggered by the choice of Elena Panaritis, a member of Greece's financial crisis negotiating team and parliamentary deputy for the center-left PASOK party from 2009 to 2012, to replace Thanos Katsambas at the IMF. In a letter sent to Tsipras on Sunday, some 40 deputies from his anti-bailout Syriza party opposed Panaritis' appointment and asked for it to be withdrawn. They said her views conflicted with the party's program since she held a post at PASOK when it supported bailout policies. A prominent representative of bailout policies cannot represent the government," the lawmakers said in a letter published on a Syriza-affiliated website. "It's not a symbolic but a political issue. It's a wrong decision and we ask that it is taken back." "It would be good for the government and the prime minister himself to review the issue," Syriza's European Parliament lawmaker Dimitris Papadimoulis told Greek radio on Saturday. Panaritis has been considered close to outspoken Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and criticism of her appointment was seen as an indirect attack on the minister, sparking a new round of speculation about his fate. But Varoufakis dismissed the talk by tweeting: "Rumors of my impending resignation are for the umpteenth time grossly premature." Greek State Minister: There Will Be an Issue of Party Discipline by A. Makris The Greek Reporter, May 29 <http://greece.greekreporter.com/2015/05/29/greek-state-minister-there-will-be-an-issue-of-party-discipline> Greek State Minister Nikos Pappas, in an interview to The Press Project <thepressproject.gr> late on Thursday, expressed his optimism over a mutually beneficial agreement with the country’s partners. He stressed the need to conclude the negotiations as soon as possible and left the possibility open for changes in the social security system. “SYRIZA is a democratic party. It discusses everything on a democratic basis and pays the price of its choices… The deal that will come to Parliament will have our signature, our vote or the lack of our vote,” he stated. Asked if there will be an issue of party discipline, he replied: “Obviously. There is no doubt over that. The government has a mandate and this mandate should have the parliamentary majority. There is no other way.” . . . 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