The first political fracas in Greece in 2018 sprung from an unexpected source, namely, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' companion, Peristera (Betty) Baziana, who in a wide-ranging interview to a left-wing Athens daily said the former "never lied, never backed down...but fought to face a harsh, unbending situation that emerged before him in an extremely threatening manner."
Baziana, the mother of Tsipras' two children and his long-time companion, was referring to the conclusion of nearly six months of shambolic negotiations between his leftist-rightist coalition government and institutional creditors, which climaxed with an equally infamous referendum on an offer - withdrawn by the time ballots boxes were set up - previously extended by creditors.
"I cry from anger every July 5," was the way Baziana described the anniversary of the referendum in 2015, in statements carried in the Saturday edition of the "Efimerida ton Syntakton".
A resounding "no" was the result of the referendum at the time, although the coalition government - with plentiful votes by opposition MPs in Parliament - later passing the third consecutive memorandum bailout in August 2015.
The very rare interview, by the spouse or companion of a serving Greek prime minister, also touched on the reasoning behind Tsipras' "fall back" to a much more accommodating stance vis-a-vis lenders, especially European ones.
"Tsipras, having asked the Greek people in the referendum, departed (for Brussels) to again negotiate with creditors, for a better agreement. He had with him a clear mandate for a fairer agreement, not a mandate for a clash or exit from Europe and the euro (zone). The question in the referendum was clear: 'Do you agree with the proposal by the creditors?' Propped up with the crystal clear 'no' by the Greek people, he returned with an agreement that was far removed from what he originally envisioned," Baziana explained, in recounting her companion's actions and the lofty goal she then describes.
"...He made a compromise, not a humiliating one, however, but a compromise that he believed had a prospect: to finally lead to an end of the rule of the powerful (in Europe); an end to unreasonable austerity," she added.
In another telling statement, Baziana, a computer science graduate and former school teacher now transferred to a university-level position, said that radical leftist SYRIZA "assumed the government (reins) but not (institutional) power," as she said.
Finally, the one-time communist party youth member asked, rhetorically, "... how is it possible for private sector (employment or activity) to be considered meritorious; personal profit against the common good and justice?"
Reactions were fast and furious over the weekend, by both opposition political parties, the media and on much of social media.
An alternate main opposition New Democracy spokeswoman, Sofia Zacharaki, among others, stated that it was "too late for tears", while adding that the interview was deeply "offensive for Greek citizens, which were fooled by SYRIZA."
A quip on social media by former Parliament president Zoe Konstantopoulou, who bolted from SYRIZA for an independent political course after the third memorandum was signed and approved by a Parliament majority, was even more scathing.
"Today (Saturday) they brought forth a previously uncompromising leftist to speak ... one who would separate from Tsipras if he signed a bailout," was Konstantopoulou's reaction.
