Greek 'no' voters celebrate historic victory

ATHENS — The votes were still being counted. The margin of victory from early polls was thin. That didn't stop tens of thousands of Greek "no" supporters from gathering at Syntagma Square near Parliament on Sunday night to cheer Greece's apparent defeat of international creditors' stringent financial bailout plan.

They sang, chanted "no," whistled, performed traditional dances and waved flags in anticipation of victory that seemed assured by late Sunday night.

"It is a much better day. I am optimistic," declared Vasilis Rigatos, 45, a supermarket employee who turned out at the square. "The prime minister has promised we are going to have an agreement with EU members in 48 hours. I am expecting it in no less than two weeks. I believe (Prime Minister Alex) Tsipras is stronger now. OK, we have a problem with our banks, but Greeks are survivors."

More than 75% of the vote was counted ​four hours after polls closed at 7 p.m. (noon ET). In the fiercely contested referendum on whether to accept the bailout terms, the "no" camp maintained a steady lead with about 60% of the vote, according to an official projection from the Interior Ministry.

Final results were unlikely until after midnight, but revelers didn't care, saying they sensed victory.

"For me, voting 'no' means freedom. And with the vote we gave the captain (the prime minister) the way to govern the ship," said Yannis Kovesis, 23, who works in a warehouse and showed up on the square sporting a Greek flag.

"We have been very disappointed with the previous politicians," Kovesis said. "It was important for Greece to vote 'no' because for the past five years, we've been saying 'yes,' and as a result, we had thousands of people committing suicide, many unemployed, very ugly things in Greece, and now we're saying 'no' because we want something different."

His brother, Kostas Kovesis, 21, said, "We want a Greece that's free. What I'm interested in is not if things get better or worse. What I'm interested in, is that Greece is free, without the European-imposed austerity." He did not address the uncertainty Greece may face if the creditors refuse to relax their terms for renewed lending.

Outside Athens, some wished they could be on the square celebrating with their compatriots. They applauded the results regardless, and hope things improve.

"I would expect the 18 other eurozone members to start thinking with the same caution that the Greek people showed during voting," said Halazias Vassilis, 35, a teacher at a traditional taverna in the small, central Greek town of Sofades as he watched the celebrations unfold on TV.

Those who voted for the bailout package had nothing to cheer about Sunday. "I am very anxious," said Eleni Koutroumpa, 36, an accountant in Patras in western Greece. "Our government plans to leave the euro and return to a drachma. This is a great danger for our nation."

Contributing: Nick Roumpis in Sofades and Thodoris Skoulis in Athens