Debt deal exceeded market expectations, Tsipras says
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Friday hailed the Eurogroup debt deal for Greece during a televised exchange with President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, referring to a "historic" agreement that exceeded the expectations of the markets.
"June 21, 2018 will go down in history as a significant day in the history of the eurozone," he said, noting that the agreement made Greece's debt "sustainable."
"That does not mean that we are abandoning the sensible course of the reforms which the country needs," he said.
"In the end, I won't get out of it, I'll have to wear a tie," Tsipras said. The always tieless Tsipras had pledged to wear one when Greece secured a deal for its debt.
Pavlopoulos, for his part, referred to the sacrifices made by the Greek people during eight years of austerity, noting that this was partly due to incorrect calculations by creditors who have since acknowledged their errors.
Tsipras is to deliver a speech at 7.30 p.m. on Friday at the Zappeion Hall, his office said.
The speech is expected to be attended by MPs of both leftist SYRIZA and the junior coalition partner Independent Greeks.
