Greece: Alexis Tsipras called for national unity to bend … – The Express

This Friday night against the Greek MPs, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras did not arrive empty-handed. He received yesterday, Thursday the IMF postponed the four debt maturities due in June, totaling 1.6 billion euro at the end of the month. But to claim to be “closer than ever to an agreement” … The negotiations on the release of the last tranche of 7.2 billion euros are still stalled. Face to face, two texts, neither party is prepared to amend, but that disagreements between the IMF and appeared over the European Union.

Convincing left and right

The proposal submitted Wednesday by the president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker “was an unpleasant surprise,” said Alexis Tsipras. It suggests the country after five years of austerity, additional savings of 3 billion euros and budget primary surplus – excluding debt servicing – higher than those offered by Athens. Other sticking points are concentrated on the cost to the Greek budgetary savings and the pension system, with in the background the question unresolved, the sustainability of the debt of 180% of GDP.

In power since late January, Alexis Tsipras promised easing of the austerity policy. But many ministers and MPs criticized Syriza “concessions” of the government during negotiations on the resumption of the privatization program for example. “Alexis Tsipras will need more concessions from creditors on important issues to deal with criticism of his party,” said the economist Diego Iscaro, the company IHS Global Insight.

This Friday, Alexis Tsipras called on parliamentarians of all stripes to support “national effort” of the country to conclude an agreement and “clarify whether they accept or reject” the proposed agreement of creditors . “We do not only need an agreement with creditors but a final solution for Greece and Europe”, “a solution to the debt sustainability” Greek public, he argued. The majority of the Greek population still favors the euro.

New Tsipras interview Putin

Despite the differences, “we are closer than ever to an agreement,” understands Alexis Tsipras. Besides the fear of a Greek default at the end of the month, the “geopolitical” concern is also present Creditor side recognizes a European source told AFP. Latest example: a new interview Friday widely publicized by Athens between Tsipras and Vladimir Putin on the “energy cooperation” and economical.

& gt; & gt; Read: Greece she plays against Moscow Brussels

The Greek case will be a topic of discussion at the G7 meeting Sunday and Monday in Germany involving Angela Merkel, Hollande? and IMF chief Christine Lagarde.