Greek government-debt crisis

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.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble is sticking to his hard line on Greece, telling a German newspaper the onus was on the government in Athens to fulfil the conditions of its bailout program before further aid would be paid out.

If Greece wants support it will have to stay within a bailout program, according to Wolfgang Schaeuble’s spokesman, Martin Jager.

Berlin again raised the “political thermomter” on the continent shortly before Greek FinMin Yanis Varoufakis was to meet with his German counterpart.

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said Athens needs up to six weeks to draft an economic recovery plan, as it lobbies its European allies to win backing for debt relief proposals.
      

Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos said on Wednesday that Greece is unlikely to be able to return to capital markets by June, when an extension of its bailout expires, so it will probably need further support from European partners.

Francois Hollande and Alexis Tsipras' meeting in Paris was concluded at around 15:00 GMT. The two country leaders spoke to the gathered journalists but took no questions.

Greece's new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said during a visit to Brussels on Wednesday that he believed it was possible to find a solution to the debt standoff between Athens and the EU.

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.?

Greece sold 1.138 billion euros ($1.27 billion) of six-month Treasury bills on Wednesday, covering the amount it wanted to refinance a maturing issue, in a sale that tested the country's ability to raise funds amid a cash crunch.

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.