Tsipras seeks quid pro quo for Greece’s support of EU candidates
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras demanded assurances from Europe's socialist leaders, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in particular, on a series of issues in exchange for Greece's support for their candidates for the bloc's top jobs, government sources said on Wednesday.
According to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), in a series of telephone calls on Tuesday night Tsipras asked for and received assurances of consistency in future European policy vis-a-vis Turkey – specifically with regards to the threat of sanctions if Ankara persists with its energy plans in the East Mediterranean and off Cyprus in particular – but also toward Greece's neighbors and EU aspirants North Macedonia and Albania.
The Greek prime minister also reportedly asked for the country to hold on to the migration portfolio at the European Commission after the end of Dimitris Avramopoulos' tenure, given that Greece is on the front line of inflows from Turkey.
Europe's socialist leaders reportedly sought Tsipras' support on Tuesday night so as to avoid a complete deadlock in the election of the next European Commission president.
