Greece seeks help in Moscow – tagesschau.de

Date: 04/03/2015 21:51 clock

For Greece it is getting close. On April 9 is a further payment to the IMF. A day earlier, Prime Minister Tsipras travels to Moscow. The question is, what he can reach there. The EU appears first left.

The fact that Greece might still be on the wedge, the Russian President Vladimir Putin drives right into the EU, this fear remains stubbornly for weeks.

“We are not the ‘bad boy’,” this formulation chose Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias the end of January, shortly after the first meeting in Brussels in the circle of his EU colleagues had behind. He tried to express so well: “Yes, we disturb Russia sanctions But since we are because it is not the only one in Europe..” But the journey ahead of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to Moscow certainly does not help the image of ‘Europe’ evil boys’ get rid of.

“It is the expression and freedom of assembly. Therefore, we comment on Travel being undertaken by the Greek guide to Russia, not, “said European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva. Although she tried to radiate serenity. In fact Tsipras is not the only European leader that shows its face in Moscow.

grab Can Russia Athens under the arms?

But others in Brussels are not so deeply relaxed, to be like the Commission purports:” It gives me great riddle, as a “leftist” government can have an understanding of an authoritarian Russian government course with a new aggressive course in foreign policy “says the parliamentary leader of the Greens in the European Parliament, Rebecca Harms, the.

She calls the Tsipras trip to Moscow” fundamentally wrong “, even if no one seriously believes in Brussels actually that Russia for the Greek form of EU replacement could be, so to speak, would buy Athens from the Union. “I do not know what Vladimir Putin, the cost will be to divide the EU. But with the Russian Finance it looks just not very bright.”

A wedge in The EU Power

Athens endeavors in any case just to polish the traditionally already good relations with Moscow. You should shine, so the lender in the EU a bit dazzled squinting his eyes: “If necessary, we can also orient otherwise,” said the Greek embassy

Whether this threat scenario really. acts, is doubtful. Can completely alienate Athens Brussels and the EU countries do not, at least not as long as it remains a member of the euro zone.

But it is clear to decide on sanctions against Russia, should so in the future for the EU not be easier. “We do not know that any government would have changed their position on the issue,” tries EU Commission spokeswoman Andreeva to appease

It is true indeed. So far, the new government in Athens all supported UN sanctions. But to convince them, was sometimes hard work. Because there just are other EU countries, the penalties actually disturbing, Putin has made Tsipras may not even form a particularly pointed or sharp wedge to bring to crumble the EU consensus here.