Urgent gov't meeting today in wake of Friday's political 'fire works'

Sources cite Tsipras: ‘I’m considering being a pioneer and actually sticking to the things I said.’

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will meet with members of his top economic team at the Maximos Mansion government headquarters on Saturday, a meeting convened at the last minute.

Besides the presiding Tsipras, participants including his Deputy PM, Yannis Dragasakis, FinMin Yanis Varoufakis and a coterie of other top economy policy-makers.

 

The meeting comes after Friday’s contacts with visiting Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem. Tsipras saw the Dutchman for roughly half an hour — apparently only a courtesy meeting — while Dijsselbloem’s talks with Varoufakis appeared as a much more strained affair.

 

Sources close to Tsipras emphasized the sincerity of their purpose, with one statement, ostensibly attributed to Tsipras, going something like this: “Prime Ministers before me chose to make statements during election campaigns that they did not follow during their terms. They lost the people’s support and were overthrown. I’m considering being a pioneer and actually sticking to the things I said.”

 

Tsipras, as sources again relayed, will insist on this message towards the country’s European partners and creditors, saying this this strategy will continue to “to the end”.