Tensions between Athens and Berlin may be high, but Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and German Chancellor Angela Merkel put on a united front following talks on Monday (March 23).

Both leaders agreed on the need to fight the widespread corruption and tax-evasion in Greece and spoke of plans to tackle youth unemployment.

Big structural reforms are needed in Greece, they announced. Such change, combined with a solid Greek budget, would provide the foundations for a return to growth and a rise in employment, they added.

Bailout plan

The Greek bailout plan was on the minds of more than just the politicians – Tsipras entered talks in the German capital amid anti-austerity protests.

The chancellor has consistently taken a hardline stance on Greece’s debt crisis, pushing for the terms of the EU/IMF bailout plan to remain unchanged.

However, it was unclear whether the leaders had reconciled differences on Greece’s planned economic reforms.

“Germany is not responsible for