Reports of minister taping call with BoG chief fuel toxic climate

Reports on Tuesday that Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis taped a conversation with Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras further poisoned the political atmosphere amid increasing speculation about a snap election. 

Responding to the reports, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's office essentially backed Polakis while also taking a dig at Stournaras, with whom ties have long been strained.

The PM's office said it had always respected the independence of the central bank, "even when its governor has expressed different views on crucial issues of economic policy. 

But the same respect for independence and the principle of political neutrality must be exhibited in practice by all sides." 

Stournaras's office also issued a statement, decrying Polakis's actions as "unheard of." 

"It is historically unprecedented by European standards for a government...

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