Athens, July 4 (RHC)-- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has urged citizens to vote 'No' in a bailout referendum scheduled to be held tomorrow, Sunday. Addressing some 25,000 of his supporters in Syntagma Square in the capital Athens, Tsipras said the referendum is not a choice about whether or not to remain in Europe, but a decision about living "with dignity."
"I call on you to say 'No' to ultimatums and to turn the back on those who would terrorize you," he said, adding: “We are not simply deciding to remain in Europe, we are deciding to live with dignity in Europe."
The premier called the plebiscite earlier this week, asking Greeks to vote whether to accept international creditors’ demands for more austerity in return for bailout loans. Tsipras also dismissed warnings that a 'No' result in Sunday's referendum could see Greece forced to leave the eurozone.
Meanwhile, thousands of people in Germany and Italy also marched on Friday in solidarity with Greek 'No' voters. The governments of Germany, France, Italy and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker have all said a 'No' vote would negatively impact Greece's place in the eurozone, and maybe even in the European Union.
Tsipras believes a 'No' vote will exert added pressure on the international creditors -- the European Central Bank, the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund -- to provide Athens with a better, more economically viable deal.