Greece: Alexis Tsipras scrambles to ready tough reforms package

Baku. 9 July. REPORT.AZ/ Greek Prime Minister AlexisTsipras is racing to finalise a tough package with tax hikes and pension reforms due within hours if Athens is to win anew aid lifeline from creditors and avoid crashing out of the euro. 

Report informs citing foreign media, Mr Tsipras was huddled with advisers, pulling together a package of reforms that is expected to include much tougher measures than those included in a previous plan from creditors that was rejected by Greeks in a referendum on Sunday.

But having won wide public support at the referendum and the subsequent backing of opposition parties, an emboldened Mr Tsiprasis expected to have an easier time facing down any resistance at home, allowing him to focus to appeasing creditors.

The Greek daily Kathimerini said the package was worth €12bn, bigger than a previous €8bn plan because the economy - battered by two weeks of capital controls- was now expected to shrink three per cent instead of growing 0.5 per cent this year.

A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disputed the Kathimerini figure, saying the package was still a work in progress.

The offer must go far enough to satisfy sceptical creditors but may face resistance from the hard-left wing of Mr Tsipras' Syriza party and from his junior coalition partner, the Independent Greeks, after the government campaigned and won a resounding 'No' to more austerity in a referendum on 5 July.