Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras welcomed European Parliament President Martin Schulz in Athens yesterday (29.01). In statements that followed, the Greek premier said that there will be a new relationship of trust between post-memorandum Greece and the European Union. He added that the new government will pursue sweeping reforms that will address the root causes of the crisis in Greece.

Tsipras further noted that his government was aiming for “a comprehensive European and mutually beneficial solution on matters of common interest,” adding that “it will take time” for such an agreement to be reached. He stressed that his administration is open to discussions. “We are negotiating with safety, we are guaranteeing stability.”

On his part, Martin Schulz said that he and the Greek prime minster agreed on many points, "while others needed more discussion," and expressed his view that Tsipras’s government was not aiming to "follow its own course" independently of its European partners.

He further expressed satisfaction that fighting tax evasion will be the government's top priority and that the new government will not take any unilateral actions.