Greek PM: ‘Bridge Program’ economically feasible
Homa Lezgee
Press TV, Vienna
Greece’s new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras meeting Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann in Vienna.Eurozone officials, led by Germany are concerned over Tsipras’s refusal to extend the bailout deal with the EU and the International Monetary Fund, but Austria is adopting a more sympathising attitude towards the new Greek government.Speaking alongside the Austrian Chancellor, Tsipras said he is confident eurozone leaders can reach an agreement over the country’s debt if they put political considerations aside.
Tsipras’ leftist Syriza party swept to power with a promise to end austerity. He’s vowed to increase the minimum wage and restore the tax-free threshold, measures that go against conditions of the bailout program.While some analysts say the only permanent solution to Greece’s problems would be an exit from the eurozone, Vienna says it wants to work with other lenders to keep the single currency bloc unified. Faymann did however, point out that Europe can’t come together willingly to bail out banks but fail to show the same willingness to fight tax fraud and unemployment.
Though Greece says it will pay its debts, observers say the government may run out of money before the end of March. That would leave Tsipras with two options: either caving in to European demands or abandoning the single currency.
But one thing is certain. Negotiations between the new Greek government and its foreign lenders have only just begun. Tsipras is sticking to Syriza’s manifesto and there’s little to indicate that euro-group negotiations are going to get any easier.
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