ADVERTISEMENTGreece’s new prime minister Alexis Tsipras held talks with EU officials on Wednesday as he continues his campaign to renegotiate his country’s debt payments.
The 40-year-old former communist was in Brussels as he seeks new terms for Athens’ 240-billion-euro bailout.
“I am very optimist that we will try to do our best in order to find the common viable and mutually acceptable solution for our common future,” said Tsipras.
“I know very well that the history of the EU is a history of disagreements but at the end of the day of compromises, of agreements.”
But the hardest task of all will be to win over Germany, where both the government and the public alike are sceptical of Mr. Tspiras’s campaign promises.
His new left-wing government says it will roll back some of the austerity policies agreed with international lenders.
The Reuters news agency reported that Athens must not cancel any of the cutbacks and reforms made so far in a bid to regain market trust and stabilise its public finances.
A document, seen by Reuters, said senior euro zone finance officials will meet Thursday to discuss the currency bloc’s response to Greek demands for an official debt write-off or restructuring.
Dimitrios Papadimoulis, a Syriza MEP said the party’s “goal is not to make an anti-German alliance.”
“It’s an alliance and a common agreement which will help Greece and the whole eurozone to gain growth.”
During discussions in Brussels between Mr. Tsipras and EU officials, Greek officials claimed no return to the troika was not put on the table.
The crucial crash test comes next week, reports euronews’ Efi Koutsokosta, when the Greek premier meets with all EU leaders for the first time.