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| Greece PM Tsipras faces MPs' anger over debt talks | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Greece's prime minister is briefing MPs on the progress of the country's debt talks amid growing opposition from within his Syriza party to creditors' proposals for a deal. | |
| Alexis Tsipras is speaking in parliament following talks with the EU, the European Central Bank and the IMF. | |
| Many of his own MPs are expected to object to Athens making any concessions. | Many of his own MPs are expected to object to Athens making any concessions. |
| Greece has delayed Friday's €300m (£216m) debt repayment to the IMF. | Greece has delayed Friday's €300m (£216m) debt repayment to the IMF. |
| Instead all four instalments scheduled for June will be combined into a single payment at the end of the month. | Instead all four instalments scheduled for June will be combined into a single payment at the end of the month. |
| Greek Economy Minister George Stathakis told the BBC that the country's cash-strapped government had the money to make Friday's payment, but chose not to. | Greek Economy Minister George Stathakis told the BBC that the country's cash-strapped government had the money to make Friday's payment, but chose not to. |
| He said Greece could not accept new austerity measures proposed by international creditors to unlock the final €7.2bn tranche of the country's bailout. | He said Greece could not accept new austerity measures proposed by international creditors to unlock the final €7.2bn tranche of the country's bailout. |
| But he said the government would do anything it could to stay in the eurozone while getting a "better deal" for Greece. | But he said the government would do anything it could to stay in the eurozone while getting a "better deal" for Greece. |
| Greece's schedule of repayments | Greece's schedule of repayments |
| Special report - Greek debt crisis | Special report - Greek debt crisis |
| Robert Peston - How serious is missed IMF payment? | Robert Peston - How serious is missed IMF payment? |
| Mr Tsipras said on Thursday that an agreement with Greece's international creditors was "in sight", particularly on the key sticking point of primary surpluses - the amount by which tax revenues exceed public spending. | Mr Tsipras said on Thursday that an agreement with Greece's international creditors was "in sight", particularly on the key sticking point of primary surpluses - the amount by which tax revenues exceed public spending. |
| But he said there were "points that no-one would consider as a base for discussion" - citing cuts to pensions and a raise in sales tax for electricity - after meeting the head of the eurozone's finance ministers, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels. | But he said there were "points that no-one would consider as a base for discussion" - citing cuts to pensions and a raise in sales tax for electricity - after meeting the head of the eurozone's finance ministers, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels. |
| Nervous times awaiting Greece's next move - Katya Adler | Nervous times awaiting Greece's next move - Katya Adler |
| The Greek government's decision not to make the IMF repayment on Friday is being interpreted across Europe as a political statement rather than desperate economic necessity. | The Greek government's decision not to make the IMF repayment on Friday is being interpreted across Europe as a political statement rather than desperate economic necessity. |
| Greek officials familiar with the country's financial situation say it has the money to make the bank transfer and the next IMF payment due in a few days' time. | Greek officials familiar with the country's financial situation say it has the money to make the bank transfer and the next IMF payment due in a few days' time. |
| So the decision to become the first developed country ever to delay a repayment to the IMF is understood as being the latest message of defiance from Greece to its international creditors: "Don't push us too far. We'd rather snap than bend". | So the decision to become the first developed country ever to delay a repayment to the IMF is understood as being the latest message of defiance from Greece to its international creditors: "Don't push us too far. We'd rather snap than bend". |
| And it could yet come to that. | And it could yet come to that. |
| Read more from Katya | Read more from Katya |
| On his return to Athens Mr Tsipras told ministers that the government could not accept "extreme proposals". | On his return to Athens Mr Tsipras told ministers that the government could not accept "extreme proposals". |
| Underlining a deep sense of anger towards the offer, Deputy Social Security Minister Dimitris Stratoulis, who is close to the far-left faction of the ruling Syriza party, denounced the measures. | Underlining a deep sense of anger towards the offer, Deputy Social Security Minister Dimitris Stratoulis, who is close to the far-left faction of the ruling Syriza party, denounced the measures. |
| "If [the creditors] do not back down from this package of blackmail, the government ...will have to seek alternative solutions, elections," he told Antenna TV. | "If [the creditors] do not back down from this package of blackmail, the government ...will have to seek alternative solutions, elections," he told Antenna TV. |
| However, Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said on Thursday he saw "no reason whatsoever" for Greece to go to snap elections, according to Reuters. | However, Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said on Thursday he saw "no reason whatsoever" for Greece to go to snap elections, according to Reuters. |
| Greece debt talks - main sticking points | Greece debt talks - main sticking points |
| Negotiating tactic | Negotiating tactic |
| Prime Minister Tsipras, who spoke by phone on Thursday night with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, will address the Greek parliament later on Friday. | Prime Minister Tsipras, who spoke by phone on Thursday night with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, will address the Greek parliament later on Friday. |
| He needs to decide soon whether to agree a deal with the creditors. Failure to do so could trigger a Greek default and a potential exit from the eurozone. | He needs to decide soon whether to agree a deal with the creditors. Failure to do so could trigger a Greek default and a potential exit from the eurozone. |
| The government must now pay a total of €1.5bn back to the IMF on 30 June, which is also the day on which its bailout deal with the EU and IMF runs out. | The government must now pay a total of €1.5bn back to the IMF on 30 June, which is also the day on which its bailout deal with the EU and IMF runs out. |
| However, the total this month Greece actually needs to pay in terms of bills is 6.7bn euros. The rest - 5.2bn euros - is short term treasury bills. | However, the total this month Greece actually needs to pay in terms of bills is 6.7bn euros. The rest - 5.2bn euros - is short term treasury bills. |
| Correspondents says the €300m payment would have been difficult for the Greek government, however the decision to delay it may have been a negotiating tactic intended to put pressure on the IMF and the EU in negotiations over the bailout. | Correspondents says the €300m payment would have been difficult for the Greek government, however the decision to delay it may have been a negotiating tactic intended to put pressure on the IMF and the EU in negotiations over the bailout. |
| The last country to bundle together payments to the IMF was Zambia in the mid-1980s. | The last country to bundle together payments to the IMF was Zambia in the mid-1980s. |