Greek referendum campaign ends too close to call

(Vatican Radio)  Greece’s week-long campaign for Sunday’s referendum, when Greeks will choose between continued austerity and an unknown future – possibly out of the euro – ended Friday night.

Listen to the report by John Carr:

There were rival rallies of supporters and opponents of a deal with Greece’s creditors, within a kilometre of each other in central Athens.  Leftwing supporters of a ‘no’ vote attacked journalists covering the event in Syntagma Square.  A foreign photographer and a policeman were injured.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras addressed that same rally with a message to reject continued austerity so that he could have a stronger bargaining hand when, as he says, he resumes negotiations in Brussels next week.  Tsipras has pledged a deal within 48 hours of Monday morning, after which he says Greece’s banks will reopen.

By all accounts, on the eve of the poll, the race is too close to call.  What worries many commentators here in Athens is an evenly-split vote where both sides could claim victory, plunging Greece further into chaos.

But most believe the Greeks will vote for whatever will ensure that the banks will reopen.  Already, they’re more than a little anxious over when that will happen.