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Greek PM reshuffles team of negotiators with lenders on debt crisis

Xinhua, April 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reshuffled the team of negotiators with international lenders on the resolution of the debt crisis, it was announced on Monday.

The move comes after the latest episode in Riga on Friday of a two-month public "verbal war" between Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and European officials.

Varoufakis remains in his post and will be in charge of a new political negotiation group which was decided to be set up, a government statement said.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of International Relations Euclid Tsakalotos will be responsible for this group's coordination.

Another special coordination group under the government's general secretary Spyros Sagias will be created for the best support of the technical groups in Athens.

Finance Ministry General Secretary Nikos Theoharakis who was responsible for fiscal planning was appointed to draft a plan for the growth of the Greek economy which will be the basis for the new agreement with creditors in June, according to Athens.

Finally, George Chouliarakis, the chief of the Economic Advisors Body at the Finance Ministry, will be in charge of talks with the so-called Brussels Group.

Greek media, such as Vima (Tribune) daily commented that Varoufakis was placed under supervision.

Conservative main opposition New Democracy party said that the prime minister was "trapped by his choice", arguing that the appointment of more coordinators by his side was actually an admission to the failure of negotiation efforts so far.

The Leftist government which took office after the January national polls has yet not agreed with lenders on the detailed conditions for the release of further financing to Athens.

Meanwhile, this spring Greece's state coffers were running out of cash, officials have admitted, increasing concern over an imminent credit event and possible exit from the eurozone.

During Friday's Eurogroup meeting in Latvia, Varoufakis and European officials did not make concrete progress.

According to media reports the Greek minister was openly strongly criticized by his interlocutors for not submitting a clear list of reforms again and for his negotiating style.

On Sunday, Varoufakis replied by tweeting a quote by U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt: "They are unanimous in their hate for me; and I welcome their hatred." A quotation close to my heart (& reality) these days." Endit