Friday

29th Mar 2024

Tsipras rejects creditors' offer

  • Tsipras rejected the creditors' proposal as 'a bad negotiation trick' (Photo: and641)

Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras rejected a proposal by the country's creditors for an agreement Friday afternoon (5 June), calling it "a bad negotiation trick".

Tsipras was addressing the Greek parliament two days after European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker presented him a plan prepared by the EU, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to unblock a €7.2 billion loan in exchange of Greek structural reforms.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The Greek PM, who wanted to rally his majority and force the opposition to support him or publicly back the creditors' plan, delivered a strident speech.

"I want to believe the proposal presented by [commission head] Jean-Claude Juncker was a slip up, a mistake," he said, adding that he had never imagined that the creditors would "believe a politician in Greece could vote for this proposal".

"I hope it will be withdrawn," he added.

Tsipras assured that "the Greek government cannot under any circumstances agree to any unreasonable proposals" and said the only "realistic proposal" to reach an agreement was his government's.

The main blocking points remain the cuts in pensions required by the creditors as well as VAT rates and labour market reforms.

The Greek PM added the issue of restructuring the Greek debt and called for a "comprehensive solution", something that creditors have not yet been ready to consider.

Tsipras nevertheless ended his speech saying he was confident Greece and its creditors were "closer than ever to an agreement".

"We are committed to finding a solution that puts an end to unrealistic surpluses and austerity, and makes the debt sustainable," he said.

Greece puts debt relief on the table

Greece is trying to introduce debt relief as part of the deal it wants to reach with its creditors as bailout talks enter a critical phase.

Juncker rebukes Tsipras on parliament speech

EU commission chief Juncker Sunday displayed public impatience with Greece, accusing Tsipras of not presenting the whole truth during a parliamentary address.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us