Tsipras defies EU by ruling out bailout extension

Series Title
Series Details 09.02.15
Publication Date 09/02/2015
Content Type

Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras gave his first major speech to the national parliament on 8 February 2015, in which he outlined his government's intention to dismantle the country's austerity programme. Mr Tsipras ruled out any extension of its international bailout and set himself on a collision course with his European partners, ahead of a Eurogroup summit on 11 February 2015, as you can check here.

According to his speech, pension bonuses would be reinstated, a property tax would be cancelled to end mass layoffs and the mininum wage would be raised back to pre-crisis levels. Mr Tsipras also vowed to seek war reparations from Germany from World War Two. Such claims were rejected by the German government.

On the same day, in an interview with Italian broadcaster RAI, Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis warned that if Greece was forced out of the eurozone, other countries like Portugal and Italy would inevitably follow, resulting in the collapse of the Eurozone. His comments were criticised by the Italian government.

The Greek defence minister Panos Kammenos stated in the meantime that Greece could turn to the US, Russia or China if it failed to reach a new debt agreement with the eurozone. European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker had said the EU would not bow to demands from Mr Tsipras.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/tsipras-defies-eu-ruling-out-bailout-extension-311928
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ESO: Background information: Greece and the euro area: What next after the Greek election? http://www.europeansources.info/record/greece-and-the-euro-area-what-next-after-the-greek-election/
EurActiv, 09.02.15: Greek finance minister fans flames by talking up risk of Italy 'bankruptcy' http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/greek-finance-minister-fans-flames-talking-risk-italy-bankruptcy-311933
EUObserver, 09.02.15: Greece: Italy and Portugal next if we are forced out of eurozone https://euobserver.com/political/127544
Kathimerini. 08.02.15: Greek prime minister not backing down http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_08/02/2015_547025
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The New York Times, 08.02.15: Prime Minister of Greece Will Not Prolong Bailout http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/09/world/europe/alexis-tsipras-greek-prime-minister-wont-seek-to-extend-bailout.html
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EurActiv, 10.02.15: Germany rejects Greek claim for WWII reparations http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/germany-rejects-greek-claim-wwii-reparations-311970
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Deutsche Welle, 09.02.15: Germany rejects Tsipras' reparation call http://dw.de/p/1EYpT
BBC News, 10.02.15: Greece 'may go elsewhere for new deal on debt' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-31350547
The Guardian, 09.02.15: Greek banks hit by downgrades as PM vows to strike deal to stay inside euro http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/09/greek-banks-downgrade-pm-vow-stay-inside-euro
Deutsche Welle, 09.02.15: Juncker to Greece: EU won't bow to demands by Tsipras http://dw.de/p/1EYNb
Kathimerini, 11.02.15: Greece's new government wins confidence vote in parliament http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_11/02/2015_547119
EurActiv, 11.02.15: Tsipras wins parliament backing to cancel Greece's EU-IMF bailout http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/tsipras-wins-parliament-backing-cancel-greeces-eu-imf-bailout-312011
BBC News, 11.02.15: Greece presents bailout plans to EU finance ministers http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-31378068
ESO: Background information: Extraordinary Eurogroup meeting on Greece on Feb. 11 http://www.europeansources.info/record/extraordinary-eurogroup-meeting-on-greece-on-feb-11/
EurActiv, 11.02.15: Grexit supported by 1 in 2 Germans http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/grexit-supported-1-2-germans-312004
Spiegel Online International, 10.02.15: Athens vs. Brussels: Greece Inches Closer to Renewal of Debt Crisis http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/greece-struggles-to-get-europe-to-change-course-on-austerity-a-1017533.html
Spiegel Online International, 10.02.15: Shrinking Merkel Down To Size: Berlin Faces Austerity Challenge in Brussels http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/jean-claude-juncker-poses-challenge-to-merkel-and-austerity-policies-a-1017505.html

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