by Aggelos Skordas
Greece can become a new “success story” for Europe, European Stability Mechanism (ESM) chief Klaus Regling said during a meeting with the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday in Athens. Commenting on the country’s exit from the memorandum era in August, though, Regling indicated that there is more work to be done, noting that the attention must now be spent on growth strategies. “There has been a lot of progress, and now we are near a definitive solution, which will be worthy of the sacrifices of the Greeks”, he indicated.
The head of the common currency’s rescue fund congratulated the Greek Premier on resolving the long standing naming dispute with (FYROM), while Tsipras replied that he is hoping for a similar positive development in economy and specifically to a much anticipated debt relief.
“I feel like a chess player, playing two games simultaneously. We have the name issue negotiations and the crucial negotiations of the debt issue happening at the same time. I am hoping we had a breakthrough yesterday, and that the same thing will happen next week on maybe the most crucial issue for the country in eight years,” Tsipras characteristically highlighted referring to the upcoming Eurogroup meeting on June 21.
On his behalf, Regling acknowledged Greece’s efforts on the fiscal front and expressed his optimism that the country will become Eurozone’s fifth “success story”, following Cyprus, Ireland, Portugal and Spain: “The ESM will also be very happy if Greece becomes our fifth success story”, he said prior to his meeting with Tsipras in Maximos Mansion.
It should be noted that a day earlier Regling reiterated that Greece, which has so far seen three bail out programs, is on track to become the Eurozone’s next “success as long as it sticks to the agreed economic reforms even after the end of the third memorandum.
Greece and FYROM agree on “North Macedonia” as new name (Video)
