Independent Greeks leader: From this moment, there is a government

The leader of the rightwing nationalist Independent Greeks party, Panos Kamenos, said that “from this moment on, the country has a government” after a meeting Monday with Alexis Tsipras, leader of SYRIZA party that won the previous day’s elections.

Kamenos announced that the Independent Greeks will give their vote of confidence to the government and pointed out that Tsipras will be calling on Greek President Karolos Papoulias on Monday to proclaim the new government.

In statements made following his meeting with Tsipras, the nationalist leader added in that the main goal in this phase is to have Greeks join together to regain their national sovereignty.

Based on results of Sunday’s elections, Independent Greeks currently represent the sixth most powerful political group in the parliament, after winning 4.75 percent of total votes (13 seats).

Meetings to form the new government started Monday after it was officially announced that SYRIZA took 36.34 percent of votes (149 seats), only two seats short of an absolute majority.

Tsipras had his first meeting with Kamenos and is also scheduled to meet with leader of To Potami centrist party, Stavros Theodorakis, as well as the leader of the Greek Communist Party KKE, Dimitris Kutsumbas.

A source from SYRIZA noted that Tsipras wants to swear his constitutional oath on Monday as Greece’s new prime minister, on condition that his new government should be ready by Tuesday afternoon and no later than Wednesday morning.