In an unexpected alliance, leftist SYRIZA combined its forces with nationalist Independent Greeks to form what they called a “front” to push for Greece to show greater solidarity toward Cyprus.
The two parties demanded that Bank of Greece Governor Giorgos Provopoulos appear before a parliamentary committee to explain why he had rejected a request from Nicosia for 2 billion euros from the 48-billion-euro Greek recapitalization fund to be used to support Cypriot lenders. Banks in Cyprus suffered losses of about 4 billion euros last year following a haircut on Greek bonds.
Although both parties have been outspoken in their criticism of Greece’s bailout terms and the actions of its lenders, they are from different sides of the political spectrum and their cooperation prompted criticism from other parties.
“At last [SYRIZA leader] Alexis Tsipras has been accepted by the only Greek politician that can understand his thoughts so well,” said New Democracy in a caustic statement about the leftist chief and Independent Greeks president Panos Kammenos.
“The cooperation between SYRIZA and Independent Greeks confirms that SYRIZA is a party that favors monopolies, since it has no qualms about working with nationalists,” said the Communist Party (KKE).