The Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufak requested during his European tour, time for the new power in the government propose new solutions to the country’s debt.
PARIS The Greek government began Sunday in Paris a European tour to convince its partners, especially Germany, to allow time for the new Greek power to make new proposals on the urgent problem of debt, waiting for a solution before May.
“It would be reasonable to have a new deal for Greece and all nations (European) before the end of May,” said Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis to concluded his meeting with his French counterpart Michel Sapin, the first stage of a journey that will take him to London on Monday and Tuesday to Rome, and later, at an unknown date, to Germany.
“Until then no we will ask for new loans “to Greece’s creditors said during a joint press conference with Sapin.
Varoufakis also said he wants to visit soon Berlin and Frankfurt, headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB), and other European cities, including Madrid, to explain the position of Athens on debt repayment.
“I have really looking forward to going to Berlin … í ñ Madrid, Frankfurt,” said Varoufakis.
Europe, particularly Germany, seen with circumspection the first steps of the new Greek government, in its bid to an agreement at European level to alleviate its debt, which currently represents almost 175% of Greek GDP.
Varoufakis said he wants to meet with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble, and that the visit is “essential”, taking into account the importance of Germany in Europe.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected on Saturday any idea of debt relief, mostly held by European states.
“It was a voluntary haircut of private creditors, banks and gave up billions of euros in Greek debt “, justified the leader in an interview with Hamburger Abendblatt. “I see a new debt relief,” he said.
Sapin, whose country also rejected a haircut, declared his intention of becoming a “link” between Greece and Germany.
Greece relies on the support of France and Italy, both with leftist governments to achieve soften the austerity measures imposed by Brussels.
In London Varoufakis will meet with his British counterpart George Osborne and representatives of the City. He closed his tour on Tuesday in Rome, where he will meet with Italian Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan.
Since the election victory party Syriza a week ago, the new executive leftist Alexis Tsipras has its European guessing on the issue of payment of the Greek debt, up from 300,000 million euros partners, ie more than 170% of GDP. After the first few tense exchanges, Athens moderated message on Saturday.
“Nobody wants a conflict and never had the intention to act unilaterally regarding our debt,” said Tsipras, who recalled, however, Greece needed more room to stop problems rooted in its economy, such as tax evasion, corruption and policies that favor a rich minority.
In its next meetings, Varoufakis address the question “from a technical point of view “with” rigorous and figures arguments “for” getting braces, “according to its environment.
The head of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, traveled Friday to Athens and his meeting with Varoufakis to the press was very cold, as the Dutch minister warned of the consequences for Greece of not respecting the agreements with its partners.
SYRIZA won the elections with a promise to end the austerity policies imposed by Greece’s creditors in return for their generosity.
Tensas negotiations
Varoufakis will aim to clarify the position of Athens on the technical aspects of trading. So far, the intermediary of Greece was called troika, consisting of representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB).
But the Greek government does not want to negotiate with the troika, which became a symbol of intransigence, and prefer to do it directly with your creditors.
“I do not want to waste time ña the troikaí, because they are not authorized to speak on the substance and program logic “rescue Varoufakis told the Sunday edition of the Greek newspaper To Vima. “Why should they waste their energy and time?” He asked.
The Greek government also received moral support from 100,000 to 300,000 demonstrators (according to sources) mobilized on Saturday in Madrid the Spanish anti-liberal party can often compared to SYRIZA, to request a change of the rules imposed by the European Union.
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