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