Greek PM Alexis Tsipras estimated the view that Greece was reclaiming the position it deserved on the international stage and winning back its economic autonomy in an interview to radio station Real FM, Tuesday. The Greek PM expressed the view that 2018 would be a year of hope for the country. “I do not envisage 2018 as a return to the pre-crisis years. We have gone through a tragedy. We must have this tragedy as a lesson. This tragedy should act as a lesson for us never to lose control of our finances again. This recent experience must make us stronger”, he said.

Talking about the possibility of calling a snap election in 2018, he blasted the major opposition party for “propagating calamities for a long time” and that it desired the re-emergence of the old establishment, making it clear that there would be no elections, but that his government would see its term through in 2019.

On the issue of the name of FYROM and the proposition of a compound name containing the term “Macedonia”, he expressed his optimism that his government would be able to handle the situation passed down to his administration by the previous governments. Finally, he said that he would work in a constructive manner with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to resolve the issues between the two countries during the 2018 Cooperation Summit to be held in Thessaloniki in the first term of 2018.