Greek political leaders cast votes in debt deal referendum

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras votes at a polling station in Athens, Greece July 5, 2015. Greece voted on Sunday on whether to accept more austerity in exchange for international aid, in a high-stakes referendum likely to determine whether it leaves the euro-currency area after seven years of economic pain. [Photo/Agencies]

ATHENS - Greek political leaders cast their ballots Sunday in a landmark referendum on a deal with the country's lenders.

Millions of Greek people went to the polls, which are open between 7 am (0500 GMT) and 7 pm (1700 GMT), to cast their ballots in the referendum that may determine whether Greece will avoid a default and possible exit from the eurozone.

Both leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who called on voters to reject the deal, as well as his political opponents who asked voters to approve it, appeared optimistic that the outcome would be in their favor.

Democracy will win over fear, the prime minister said after casting his ballot in central Athens.

The leftist leader urged people to take their fate in their hands, stressing that peoples' will cannot be ignored.

Leader of Independent Greeks, the junior partner in the ruling coalition, Panos Kammenos, appeared confident that "Greeks will not give in to threats."

Main opposition conservative party leader Antonis Samaras called on Greeks to "vote yes to Greece, yes to Europe".

Centrist River (Potami) party leader Stavros Theodorakis underlined that divisions should end.

President Prokopis Pavlopoulos also called for unity, saying: "Regardless of the result, we must move forward on the difficult path ahead tomorrow united."

About 9.8 million citizens are eligible to vote in approximately 19,000 polling stations nationwide. Because of the tight time limits of the referendum, expatriates will not be able to vote.