Rome

Conservative New Democracy has accused Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis of ?defaming? the country.

?Yesterday in Rome, Mr Tsipras called Greece a corrupt country and today Mr Varoufakis called it a bankrupt [country],? ND spokesman Costas Karagounis said Wednesday.

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said Wednesday that his meeting with European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi had been ?fruitful? and gave him ?a great deal of encouragement.?

New Democracy spokesman Costas Karagounis attacked Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis on Wednesday, charging that duo is damaging the reputation of the country with their statements.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras received encouragement from his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi on Tuesday in Greece?s efforts to reach a new agreement with the eurozone but there are doubts about whether the European Central Bank will provide Athens with the liquidity it needs over the next few months.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said Tuesday he believes Greece will be able to strike a deal with its EU partners over its massive debts.

?I believe the conditions exist to find an accord with the European institutions,? Renzi said at a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras following talks in Rome.

The closely watched Renzi-Tsipras meeting in Rome produced several news-worthy quotes and statements on Tuesday.

The “Eternal City” was the second European capital, after Nicosia, that new Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras chose to visit, with an eye towards gaining the support of Italian center-left PM Matteo Renzi.

 Varoufakis holds talks with Italian counterpart in Rome

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said Tuesday he would meet his German counterpart Wolfgang Schauble in Berlin on Thursday for talks on his country?s debt crisis.

The minister announced the keenly-awaited encounter after meeting in Rome with his Italian counterpart.

Greece's radical new leaders hope to win Rome's support at talks on Feb. 3 in their bid to renegotiate a massive 240-billion-euro ($270 billion) bailout following encouraging remarks from Prime Minister Matteo Renzi who said Europe must abandon austerity.
 

Targu Mures-based journalist Botond Gaspar became famous after succeeding in cooking several ancient Roman recipes inspired from Apicius's 'De re coquinaria' at the latest two editions of the Roman Festival in Calugareni (southern Romania).

Photo credit: (c) Dorina MATIS / AGERPRES

Placido Domingo will star in a return to Los Angeles of Woody Allen's first opera production, Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi," the opera house said Tuesday.