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The long-awaited meeting between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and president of parliament Zoe Konstantopoulou has led nowhere. She entered the government residence at 12:00 and left it two hours later to tell the journalists who were awaiting her that she discussed with the Prime Minister all recent developments as well as "the institutional initiatives to be undertaken to protect the inviolable rights of people and democracy, which are subject to pressure from Europe. And Greece, the government and people are victims of this pressure."

Commenting on her relations with Alexis Tsipras, Zoe Konstantopoulou pointed out that they two were connected "through comradeship, sincerity and common interest and commitment to protect the rights of people, the prospect of the country and the unity of the Left and SYRIZA, which some want to destroy."

In this way, the president of parliament announced that she had no intention to leave her post despite the attacks by the pro-European opposition, which called on the government to submit to parliament a no confidence vote against her.

New Democracy and the centre-left Potami party argue that Zoe Konstantopoulou cannot continue to be president of parliament as she has opposed the government policy, violently breaching her institutional role at that. She voted against both the agreement with creditors and the adoption of the second package of budgetary measures and reforms. During the two rounds of the voting she preferred to be replaced by Alexis Mitropoulos in the presidium and as a MP, she delivered high-sounding manifestos against creditors, determining the agreement as "a coup against Greece and its people."

"- Zoe, I'm sick and tired of you! What do you want to happen? GREXIT?
- No. ALEXIT. "

Cartoon by Ilias Makris in the Greek daily Kathimerini.

Yesterday, while the parliamentary commissions were discussing the bill and in violation of her powers of president of parliament, Konstantopoulou again delivered a speech in which she notified she had sent a letter to both the Prime Minister and the President, calling on them to inform their colleagues in the rest of the European countries on "the total denial of democracy in Greece" by its European partners and creditors.

The reply of the presidency came shortly before the start of last night's meeting of parliament. In it, Prokopis Pavlopoulos notifies Zoe Konstantopoulou that the actions proposed by her do not fall within his powers and that if she wants, she can turn to the heads of European states as a president of parliament. The Greek President however stresses that she expresses her own positions that do not represent the position of Greece.

Alexis Tsipras, however, still refuses to take concrete action. It is significant that no formal communication has followed his today's discussion with Zoe Konstantopoulou.

An unofficial document (non-paper) issued by the Prime Minister’s office states that he has expressed his concern over "the institutional disharmony that is due to her choice to separate from the common position of the government and the parliamentary majority that supports it."

Close associates of the Greek Prime Minister state that the meeting took place "in an atmosphere of sincerity and comradeship." According to the Greek media, they had indicated before the meeting that it was held at the request of Zoe Konstantopoulou. The media interpret their words as a hint that Alexis Tsipras has no intention to take any initiative for the time being, as his difficult coexistence with Zoe Konstantopoulou anyway will end with the early elections that he is considering to hold in late autumn.

According to some ministers, however, the real question is whether the president of parliament will decide to withdraw before the elections or consider that now is the best time for this or during the congress of SYRIZA that is scheduled to take place in September.

Meanwhile, a Facebook group has been created under the name "Proposal for a no confidence vote against the president of parliament." Its members have announced their position in favour of the immediate removal of Zoe Konstantopoulou from her post.