Tsipras calls for unity among EU member states on migration crisis or face uncertain future
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has told the Wall Street Journal in an interview that Germany is his country’s biggest ally when it comes to dealing with the refugee crisis, insisting that the continent’s future will be at stake if European Union member states do not fulfill their obligations.
“Angela Merkel pays the internal cost of the brave decision that she took last year, ” Tsipras said. But, he added, the German Chancellor took a decision as a European leader.
“Otherwise, Europe would be absolutely divided, ” Tsipras said and urged fellow EU member states to ignore the political cost and do what is necessary to tackle the problem and help Greece, which has borne the brunt of the migrant crisis.
Tsipras made his remarks despite being at loggerheads with Germany over the terms of Greece’s financial bailout. Referring to Greece’s bailout program, the Greek Premier said the country's second review by its international creditors will be wrapped up by the end of October, and that debt relief measures – a key Greek demand – will be specified by the end of 2016. This, he said, will pave the way for Greece’s inclusion in the European Central Bank’s quantitative-easing program.
“Participation in the QE will be the key to attract investors,” he said, adding that “everybody will understand that ‘Grexit’ has passed, that the crisis is over.”
