Francois Hollande and Alexis Tsipras’ meeting in Paris was concluded at around 15:00 GMT. The two country leaders spoke to the gathered journalists but took no questions.
Mr. Hollande stated that the vote of the Greek people who basically called for an end to austerity must be respected. However, he underlined that the reform commitments already agreed upon by the previous government must also be respected. He reiterated that Greece belongs in the Eurozone and wants to stay in it. He went on to add that he reminded Prime Minister Tsipras that he is available for any updates on fiscal reforms. He pointed out that the French government has an amazing know-how on those matters. He proceeded by stating that he encourages French businesses to invest in Greece.
Mr. Tsipras then began speaking, by mentioning that the EU’s stability requires the much-needed change in policies. It needs a new agreement for growth and social cohesion. Mr. Tsipras justified this by pointing out that Europe is now characterized by fiscal insanity which has replaced logical reasoning. He highlighted that his government has a specific negotiations plan with the European partners. The Greek Democracy is not a threat to Europe. He reiterated that in Europe and the Eurozone there are no “landlords” or “tenants”. Everyone lives together on equal terms. He stated that his government presented a viable and realistic solution which can in turn lead to a mutually agreed-upon, viable result. He reminded Europeans that noone forces the Greeks to make reforms. They do them by themselves. He also stated that taxation must be characterized by social justice and any nepotism must be stamped out. Continuing, he said that the debt must become viable, and this is not only a matter for Greece, but Europe as a whole. He concluded by saying that he has found “open ears”, ready to listen.
