Greek PM marks first anniversary in office.- "We can change Greece. We can change Europe"

A year ago on the Jan. 25 national elections in Greece, the Radical Left SYRIZA party achieved a historic victory assuming office for first time in the country's modern history with the promise to end austerity and bailouts.

After 12 turbulent months, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras marked the anniversary on Sunday addressing a celebratory SYRIZA gathering in an Athens stadium organized under the slogan "One year Left, one year battle. We proceed."

The Greek leader expressed confidence that despite setbacks, Greece can return to growth in the second half of 2016, after seven years of steep recession, referring to some positive economic indexes.

"Your presence is a message of optimism and determination to continue the great struggle we started a year ago," he told the cheering crowd. "I am certain we can make it. Greece will move forward."

Outlining his government's goals for coming months, Tsipras said that efforts will be strengthened to lead Greece to the exit of the debt crisis.

He appeared confident that the new review of the bailout will be successfully concluded soon so that talks on debt relief start with no more delays.

In a message to German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble who publicly told him in Davos "it is the implementation, stupid," the Greek leader expressed determination to "keep confronting the conservative status quo beyond Greek borders that claims that the problem is the implementation of austerity policies and not the formula itself."

"We can change Greece. We can change Europe," Tsipras said...
 Xinhua -china.org.cn
 25/1/16
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