EUROZONE-GREECE/GERMANY GOVERNMENT REAX Merkel was informed by Tsipras about his resignation

Record ID: 143119

  • Title: EUROZONE-GREECE/GERMANY GOVERNMENT REAX Merkel was informed by Tsipras about his resignation
  • Date: 21st August 2015
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (AUGUST 21, 2015) (REUTERS) GERMAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN, STEFFEN SEIBERT, WALKING INTO NEWS CONFERENCE, TAKING SEAT NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN, STEFFEN SEIBERT, SAYING: "The chancellor has been informed by Prime Minister Tsipras. That is the answer to the second part of your question. (
  • Embargoed: 5th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9D4YI3ZF3V38L4FBW6K77RF3Y
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Germany expects Greece to push ahead with reforms agreed under its third bailout package, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Friday (August 21) after Alexis Tsipras resigned as Greek prime minister and paved the way for early elections.
    "The chancellor has been informed by Prime Minister Tsipras," Seibert said on Tsipras' resignation at a regular government news conference in Berlin.
    "The step taken by the Prime Minister Tsipras is not surprising considering the majority situation and taking into account the individual votes within the Greek parliament. What is important is - and that is your question about instability - the bailout programme, which has already been decided upon by the Bundestag [German parliament] and other European parliaments, an aid program that has been negotiated with the Hellenic Republic [Greece]. That clears the path for the next three years, and nothing has changed in regards to that. That is one of the fundamental principles of the European cooperation. The agreements are valid - regardless of the outcome of elections, and also of possible changes within the government. And naturally the German government expects - in accordance with other European partners of Greece - the implementation of reforms and the agreement of the program," he added.
    Tsipras resigned on Thursday (August 20), hoping to strengthen his hold on power in snap elections after seven months in office in which he fought Greece's creditors for a better bailout deal but had to cave in.
    Greece received the first tranche of funds from the new 86-billion-euro ($97.01 billion) bailout on Thursday, after which Tsipras quit to seek re-election.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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