EU's Tusk says hope Greek elections provide stability to face challenges

The European Council President Donald Tusk on Monday expressed the hope that the latest general elections in Greece will provide the political stability necessary for the country to face all the challenges at hand.

Preliminary results showed that Greek Leftists of the radical left SYRIZA party of former prime minister Alexis Tsipras was leading in the general elections.

In a statement, Tusk said that Tsipras' "dedication and leadership in implementing the economic adjustment program is crucial in order to make a difference in the recovery of the Greek economy."

"Many of the biggest challenges facing the European Union as a whole are the same as those facing Greece as a country, such as the refugee crisis and the creation of sustainable growth and jobs," said Tusk, adding he trusted Greece with Tsipras' new government would contribute constructively in seeking solutions to all those challenges.

With 80 percent of the votes counted, SYRIZA has won about 35.5 percent of votes against 28.2 percent by the conservatives of the New Democracy (ND) party led by Evangelos Meimarakis, according to the official results released by the Greek Interior Ministry.

The official final results are expected to be released by Monday noon and Tsipras is expected to receive a three-day exploratory mandate from the president of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos to form a government, under the Greek constitution.

The new government could be sworn in on Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning, according to local "Vima" (Tribune) daily. Endit