Tsipras presents reform plan

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday presented a reform plan that he describes as realistic. According to media reports, the Euro Group has made concessions to Athens regarding the terms for the disbursement of further loans. The creditor states have pushed their capacities to the limit, commentators warn, and advise Tsipras to finally back down.

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Irish Independent (IE) /

Tsipras must make concessions

The Greek government cannot expect many concessions from the EU partners and should be more willing to accommodate their demands, the conservative EU-parlamentarian Brian Hayes urges in the conservative daily Irish Independent: "It should be in everyone's interest that Greece stays in the eurozone. We want to see them get through this crisis and there is clear support from European partners. But there will not be a deal at any cost to the European taxpayers. The creditor countries have limited room to make concessions. We should not forget that any new programme will have to go before national parliaments. ... Mr Tsipras and his government should start to realise that referring back to Syriza's electoral promises is no longer an option in these negotiations."

Kathimerini (GR) /

Macho airs hurting Athens' credibility

Athens must change its negotiating tactics once and for all, the conservative daily Kathimerini urges: "Much of the European establishment - and not just in Berlin - sees Greece as a lost cause. That may be unjustified, but that's how it is. The empty geopolitical threats have backfired. As Oxford professor Kalipso Nikolaidi said yesterday, it's better for the others to say 'Careful, Greece will collapse' than for Athens to use that as an argument. ... The macho airs of the Greek government work at home, but abroad they destroy everything. And in the end each episode of the negotiations has repercussions for the country's credibility and its leaders. Now the time has come for Tsipras to show firstly that he wants to reach an acceptable agreement, and secondly that he can implement it."

Cinco Días (ES) /

Things get serious when ECB intervenes

ECB Chief Mario Draghi intervened in the debt dispute between the EU and Greece on Monday and called for a "strong agreement". Now that the ECB has stepped in Greece's strategising will come to an end, the centre-left daily Cinco Días predicts: "Up to now the Greek authorities have been playing at prolonging the negotiations indefinitely. They have changed mood constantly and failed to offer their partners and creditors any credible and acceptable alternative to reforms. But if the ECB gets serious, turns off the credit tap and blocks the budget financing, Athens will have no choice but to abdicate."