EC-Germany to Greece: Elections over, time to get back to work

Merkel and Juncker to congratulate Tsipras on election victory

The left SYRIZA party and their would-be junior partners in the next Greek coalition government might be reveling in their electoral victory last night, and planning on the composition of the new government, but Germany and the European Commission were swift to bring them down to ‘reality’ by reminding Athens that it has to fully implement its commitments emanating from the 3rd rescue plan sighed with its partners. Germany through Angela Merkel’s spokesperson, Stefen Zeibert said the German Chancellor will contact Alexis Tsipras on his victory, and work close with the new Greek government on the Greek debt. He added, emphatically, however, that Greece will have to implement all the agreed reforms. “The new government will have to implement the reforms”, he stated in no uncertain terms. The European Commission used a similar tone by stating that Athens had agreed to ‘an optimistic program of reforms’. The Commission’s spokesperson, Margaritis Schinas stressed that Greece, under PM Alexis Tsipras had committed itself to a program of reforms ‘in order for the Greek economy to recover and enter on a path of growth and employment’. Schinas added that the first review of the Greek rescue plan by the institutions would take place in Autumn without giving details of exact dates. The EC representative expressed hope that the new government would assume its responsibilities in a timely manner. He added that Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will phone Alexis Tsipras to congratulate him.