In the Brexit vote returned by the UK referendum, Europe was seeing the results of its own response to the financial crisis, government sources said on Friday.

“Europe is now up against the way it handled the 2008 crisis, this policy that feeds isolationism and nationalism,” the government sources said. In the wake of the referendum result, it had become apparent that two opposing paths were emerging that member-states could choose to follow: either to escalate and accelerate the policy that had led to Brexit, or to change the agenda so that the people of Europe were persuaded that they have a say and are protected within the EU.

According to the government, Greece can have a role in the political arena and help in the formation of a progressive alliance that will push for such a different agenda in Europe. In this vein, the government΄s leadership team was eagerly awaiting the next European Council in Brussels where the developments after the referendum will be discussed. Government sources did not rule out preparatory actions and contacts by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras ahead of the summit.

On an economic level, the sources said the government is closely monitoring developments to ensure that the British referendum does not jeopardise the Greek economy΄s course toward stabilisation after a conclusion of the first review of the programme, especially given the initiation of investment plans and policies for a return to growth.