Samaras calls for national unity government

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras should scrap plans for a referendum on the terms of a cash-for-reforms deal offered by its creditors and try to form a national unity government, the main opposition leader Antonis Samaras said on Sunday.

Negotiations between Greece and its international lenders abruptly halted as Tsipras announced a snap referendum for July 5.

Greece will introduce capital controls and keep its banks closed on Monday after the creditors refused to extend the bailout and savers queued to withdraw cash.

“Our country needs to remain in the heart of Europe and in the euro. Mr Tsipras must continue the negotiations,” Samaras said.

“If he can’t do that by himself, he should attempt a big national consensus,” he said, referring to a unity government.

[Reuters]