Greek PM Alexis Tsipras met with the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Guy Ryder in Athens, at the Maximos Hall, Friday. The Greek PM said the Director’s visit to Athens was taking place at a crucial moment for Greece and its efforts to recover. “[His visit] sends a strong message that our efforts to stop the 7-year-long institution of exceptions from best European practices on labour rights must be vindicated”, underlined Mr. Tsipras. During their brief talks in front of the cameras, Mr. Tsipras expressed his conviction that under the current circumstances of wider support to Greece, developments show that the possibilities of a positive outcome for the second review of the Greek bailout program were higher. On his part, Mr. Ryder reassured the Greek PM that the ILO was constantly following the Greek matter. “I believe we have developed significant cooperation over the past years, under hard circumstances in your country”, the ILO head said. Exiting the Maximos Hall, Mr. Ryder said one of the fundamental workers’ rights the ILO was defending was collective bargaining.