New European summit puts Greek politicians' TV debate on back burner

A decision by European leaders to meet on June 30 after failing on Thursday to agree on who should inherit the bloc's top jobs is threatening to derail plans for a television debate in Greece between the main politicians who will be battling for the top job in Athens on July 7.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Friday, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras took a swipe at organizers of the debate, saying he could appear via Skype, as the "way this contest is being organized, it looks like it will be parallel monologues."

"I have a feeling that my political rivals are not looking for a proper confrontation," Tsipras said.

The plan is for a live televised debate between Tsipras and the leaders of New Democracy Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Movement for Change Fofi Gennimata, the Greek Communist Party Dimitris Koutsoumbas and Union of Centrists Vassilis Leventis.

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