The first European official to visit the new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is going to be the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz who is expected in Athens on Thursday. Mr. Schulz will also meet with ND leader Antonis Samaras and PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos.
Ahead of his trip to the Greek capital, Mr. Schulz published an article, where he discusses the outcome of the recent general elections in Greece, entitled «No Greek drama and no Greek drachma«.
Shortly after the announcement of Mr. Tsipras recent electoral win, Mr. Schulz commented that he would work towards a mutually acceptable and sustainable solution for Greece. He also characterized Mr. Tsipras a “pragmatic” person and that he is aware that compromises are necessary.
Mr. Schulz claimed that he was “horrified” when the newly-elected Greek government repudiated the EU line on the possibility of new sanctions being imposed against Russia. Mr. Schulz told the German public broadcaster ZDF that this development was one of the reasons of his trip to Athens. He also stressed that talk of a debt write off is completely unnecessary and “premature” at present.
Regarding the SYRIZA alliance with the Independent Greeks, Mr. Schulz noted that he was not surprise, bur shocked, likening it to a hypothetical alliance between the leftwing Die Linke and conservative AfD parties. He estimated that as the two parties are “ideological enemies” united by their rejection of European integration, tension will gradually develop amongst the government partners.
