To use a worn-out cliché, “the times are critical.” In fact, they are more than just that: we are at the edge of a crucial temporal sequence. The whole endeavor of a Syriza government will be judged by its reaction to the unprecedented blackmail and ultimatums it is receiving from its tragically misnamed European “partners.”

And the news from the frontline is not pleasant. To be sure, it is very difficult to have a clear view of the current status of the negotiations — “negotiations” being an oxymoron given the sheer asymmetry in the balance of forces, and the fact that one side has a gun (the European Central Bank’s) pointed at its head. What is clear, however, is that the Greek government has backtracked on crucial aspects, especially concerning its commitments towards the people that brought it into office.

Before examining the substance of the request for an extension of the “Master Financial Assistance Facility Agreement” submitted on Wednesday by the Greek government to Brussels, let’s have a closer look at the “Moscovici document” leaked by the Greek government during the Eurogroup meeting last Monday, which it has declared itself willing to sign.