Nicosia,  – President Anastasiades on Sunday urged MPs to vote in favour of the Eurogroup decision to impose a one-off levy on deposits on the island. Parliament meets on Monday afternoon to discuss the bill, amid conflicting reports on whether the government commands enough votes to push it through the 56 member parliament.  Already the 24 MPs of Akel and Edek have said they will vote against. Diko, junior coalition parner in the Anastasiades government which took offce 15 days ago,, has set conditions,
In a televised address to the people a day after the eurogroup approved a bailout agreement for Cyprus, President Anastasiades said he fully undertakes responsibility for his actions and the solution which “we have chosen is surely not the one we wanted to, but it is the least painful under the circumstances and because most of all it allows us to be able to handle the economy ourselves”.
Anastasiades said that he will fully respect the decision of the House, which should decide bearing in mind the best interests of the people and country.
He further said what is more important is that “we are avoiding the vicious circle of a second memorandum”.
The presidenrt said the choice he faced at the eurogroup was that of agreeing to the tax or a disroderly default that would lead to a collapse of the banking system and may force Cyprus out of the eurozone. He acknowledged that he had pledged not to accept a tax on deposits, but said that the alternative to what was agreed would have even more painful repercussions on depositors and on the economy.