Plan B for Cyprus If Greece Leaves Euro - Christofias

President Demetris Christofias has asked the Council of Ministers for a Plan B in case Greece decides to exit the Eurozone, he said in a press conference on his domestic policies.

“If there is this development in Greece we will not be the only ones affected. There will be repercussions throughout the entire Eurozone and the entire EU," said Christofias.

The situation would be chaotic if Greece decides to leave the euro, said the president.

"I really wish that Greece will not declare bankruptcy and leave the euro to return to the drachma,” said Christofias.

Asked what the EU can do to avoid such an exit, Christofias said: “An effort was made during the last Informal Council to issue an announcement that would encourage the Greek people to vote in such a way so as to avoid the exit of Greece from the Eurozone."

But "these are sovereign rights and responsibilities of the people themselves," he added.

"Every time there is an effort to impose on the people what they should do, the people naturally react. And you know that our brothers, the Greeks, do not tolerate any yoke," he said.

Head of the IMF Christine Lagarde made "a serious mistake with the provocative remarks about the Greeks," said Christofias. Last month, she criticised the Greeks for not paying their taxes. During an interview with The Guardian, Laguarde said that she is more concerned about poverty-stricken children in Africa.

"I don’t know whether this provocation will affect the upcoming elections. The Greeks are a sovereign people, their state is sovereign and they will decide about their fate, finding themselves of course in a very difficult position," said the president.

Greece is set to hold a second round of presidential elections on June 17th amid a rise in radical left-and-right-wing parties who advocate reneging on a multi-billion-euro bailout deal with the EU and IMF.

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