Tsipras’first official speech as PM

The new Greek PM is expected to reject austerity and call for a renegotiation of Greece’s debt

New Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is laying out his radical left-wing government’s policies in a speech this afternoon. During his talk he is expected to firmly reject any more forced austerity measures by Greece’s eurozone partners.

When he takes the podium in his first official talk as Greek PM he is expected to repeat what the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) has been saying all along, rejecting any more bailout money and expressing the desire to renogiate Greece’s debt deal.

Greece is also going to call for a “bridge agreement” to tide the country over until a new pact is sealed as part of his 5-point plan.
The second part of Tsipras’ speech is expected to showcase his government’s social and fiscal policy over the longer term. It is likely that he will repeat pre-election pledges that his government appears intent on keeping, such as a rise in the minimum wage and free electricity for poorer Greeks.

EU leaders who have not been willing to meet Tsipras’ demands for fear that Greece will backtrack on painful reforms are going to be carefully monitoring his speech. The current bailout expires on February 28 with most lenders calling on the new government to apply for an extension, something that SYRIZA staunchly opposes.