Ципрас: "По-близо сме от всякога до споразумение."

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said that despite a "big setback" Greece is now "closer than ever" to a "sustainable agreement" during an address to the Greek Parliament in Athens, Friday. The "setback” refers to Greece not meeting the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) June 5 deadline to pay back an instalment of the $1.7 billion (€1.53 billion) owed. Instead they intend to pay a lump sum of around $1.7 billion (€1.53 billion) at the end of the month. He also slammed Europe's "tactics," questioning whether many people would feel "proud" of them. "Therefore it’s time for everyone, in Greece but mostly in Europe, to prove that they are working to find a solution and not to submit or to humiliate people," he added. Tsipras went on to say that if it does come to light that politicians and creditors are trying to "humiliate a people," they need to know "that they will get the exact opposite result," which was greeted by rapturous applause. The Greek prime minister then asserted that this was "not a threat, but a simple ascertainment."