Courts clear the way for Greek vote

A legal challenge to Greece’s critical bailout referendum has been rejected, clearing the way for the vote to go ahead tomorrow.

The Council of State, the country’s highest administrative court, threw out a motion brought by two private citizens asking the court to rule the referendum illegal.

Spyridon Nicolaou, one of the two parties filing the motion, had claimed that the vote would be invalid “because it expressly violates the constitution, which stipulates that a referendum cannot take place on economic matters”.

“But it’s also invalid because it doesn’t incorporate the text of the documents on which the Greek people are called on to decide,” said Nicolaou. “Would anyone from Evros [in far north-eastern Greece] know the specific documents?”

A separate group filed a counter-motion supporting the referendum’s legality. One backer, Dimitris Belantis, said the Council of State has no jurisdiction over the matter and the constitution stipulates popular votes can be held on “crucial national matters”.

Simultaneous rallies are being held in Athens supporting ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ answers to a murky question in what an opinion poll suggests could be a very close vote.

Prime minister Alexis Tsipras called the referendum last weekend, asking Greeks to decide whether to accept creditors’ proposals for more austerity in exchange for more loans even though those proposals are no longer on the table.

He said a ‘No’ vote would put him in a stronger position to seek a better deal for Greece within the 19-nation eurozone to reduce its €320bn national debt and make payments more sustainable.

In a televised address to the nation, Tsipras urged Greeks to vote “no to ultimatums, divisions, and fear”. He emphasised that the referendum is not a vote on whether Greece will remain in the euro.

However, opposition parties, and many European officials, say a ‘No’ vote would drive Greece out of the euro and into an even more impoverished future.

Finance minister Yanis Varoufakis said an agreement with the country’s creditors “is more or less done” and that the only issue left is debt relief.

However, the head of the eurozone finance ministers’ group, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, rejected those comments, saying negotiations are not still going on.

“There are no new proposals from our side and, whatever happens, the future for Greece will be extremely tough,” said Dijsselbloem.

A poll conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday and published in the To Ethnos newspaper yesterday showed the two sides in a dead heat.

It also showed an overwhelming majority — 74% – want the country to remain in the euro, compared with 15% who want a national currency.