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Former Eurogroup president and European People's Party candidate for President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker expressed the view that Greece's partners should respond positively to a possible request by the Greek side to mitigate the fiscal consolidation objectives and that politicians should take the control of the supervisory Troika from the senior officials of international organizations who were not determined on the basis of elections.

Moreover, in an interview for Euro2day, Juncker states that Alexis Tsipras would be a dangerous prime minister of Greece.

"Currently Tsipras is not suitable for Greece’s prime minister," says Juncker, sharing his view that, if elected, SYRIZA's leader would not effectively cooperate with the European Union and "would be a great threat to Greece".

"I would be willing to work with him but I do not think he will be willing to do so if he becomes prime minister. This would be a great threat for Greece, because I believe that he is not sufficiently aware of the problems in Greece and of the problems in Europe regarding Greece. I would like him to take greater responsibility but I do not believe he is the right leader for the country at this time, at this dramatic moment for Greece," the European politician says about Alexis Tsipras.

When asked about the statements of Greek government members according to which they will attempt to mitigate the objectives, as achieving a primary surplus of 4.5% of GDP for 2016 is not realistic, Juncker says that since Greece has achieved a primary surplus, eurozone countries need to react in a positive manner. "Such a great achievement should not be underestimated", he notes.
 
Asked whether the next step regarding Greece’s debt will include rescheduling loans and reducing interest rates, the former Eurogroup head says that Greece has met the requirement of the primary surplus which is why the possibility of rescheduling its loans, increasing the involvement of the European Union in the co-financing of structural funds as well as of reducing the interest rates need to be seriously considered. "Greece has fulfilled what it promised. Now we have to take measures in favour of Greece. I believe that when you promise something, you have to act on it," says Juncker.

Asked about the probability of the country obtaining a third loan, Juncker responds that, after 2012, a third bailout is not excluded, adding however that there is currently no urgent need for launching a discussion on the third loan.
 
Finally, the former Eurogroup head raises the issue of the democratic legitimacy of the supervisory Troika, saying that the representatives of the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the European Central Bank have not been subjected to election procedures and that the Troika should have more senior officials determined through elections.

"I believe that the Eurogroup president should be actively involved in the Troika," he stresses.

SYRIZA responds sharply to Juncker’s allegations that Alexis Tsipras is not suitable for prime minister

A message of the radical left SYRIZA party stresses that "when Juncker was asked twice by Alexis Tsipras about the events in Cannes and the unprecedented democratic deficit in Europe, he "swallowed his tongue" and could not utter a word about the rough interference and extortion regarding Greece, when governments were appointed based on the interests of creditors."

"Today, however, he has apparently pulled himself together to attack the leader of SYRIZA. We are not surprised at all that Mr. Juncker does not consider Alexis Tsipras appropriate for prime minister. The European senior officials, accustomed to unresisting Greek prime ministers, obeying their plans, must now understand that these times are gone forever. What happened in Cannes will not happen again. Greece’s voice will now be heard everywhere. On 25 May, the Greek people will trust SYRIZA, the political force that protects the interests of the country and offers the only realistic solution for emerging from the crisis."