Athens confident despite stance of Germany's Scholz

Athens did not appear particularly troubled Monday by what has been viewed as the tough stance of new German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz during his meeting last week with his Greek counterpart Euclid Tsakalotos.

Despite their cordial meeting, Scholz made it clear that debt relief will only be discussed after Greece's bailout program ends, while he also reiterated to Sunday's issue of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that aid to Greece goes hand in hand with reforms.

However, according to Greek estimates, Greece's partners and creditors do not want to see the country derailed from its course leading out of the bailout programs.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras hopes to hammer the point home Tuesday during his visit to the islands of Rhodes and Kastellorizo that Greece is back on the road to recovery. And with Greece heading for an exit from its third...