The Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has accused Portugal and Spain of leading a conspiracy to overthrow his government.
In a speech to members of his party, Tsipras accused the two countries of trying to torpedo the testy negotiations with the European Union which finally led to the extension of the Greek bailout programme for another four months.
Tsipras said that there were those opposed to the Greek position, led by the governments of Portugal and Spain which for “obvious political reasons” tried to destroy the negotiations.
Their plan, according to the Greek PM, was make his government surrender unconditionally before its work began to bear fruit and before the Greek example affects other countries, noting that Spain and Portugal both have general elections this year.
In the same speech, Tsipras rejected criticism that his government had retreated in order to guarantee the extension of the bailout, adding that the anger felt by German conservatives was a sure sign that the Greek government had won some concessions.
Passos Coelho said this weekend that there were some countries that were far more concerned with the Greek situation than Portugal.
The Portuguese PM added that Greece has very tough road ahead. "May I express the wish that Greece remains in the euro and resists this difficult test, which is important for the entire European Union," but refused to say that he is confident that the Tsipras government will meet the conditions set by the Troika. "So far the only thing that happened is the extension of the loan and also of the programme."
However, the Spanish Secretary of State for the EU, Sr Méndez de Vigo, responded to the Greek prime minister saying that the problems of his country "cannot be solved with statements, but with reforms."
Portugal's stance, as expressed by Finance Minister Maria Luis Albuquerque in mid-February, was that "There is a framework within which we are prepared to talk to the Greek government. That framework is the current aid programme, which is up for extension."
"But we are not prepared to talk under any other conditions. Everyone is agreed on this, all the 18 other eurozone countries, as well as the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund," the Portuguese minister added as if Portugal was in any sort of financial or moral position to make comments on Greece's negotiations with those that had lent it significant sums.
The Spanish Prime Minister said "We are not responsible for the frustration of the Greek radical left, which made promised it could not keep, as it turned out," speaking to an audience of supporters in Seville.
"Searching for an external enemy is a trick we've seen several times throughout history, but it does not solve the problem," added Rajoy.
"The only way is to be serious, and not to make promises that you know you can not keep," continued the Spanish PM.
Tsispras has his interim deal and a few short months to come up with solid proposals which must balance the needs of the Greek government for liquidity, and the demands of the Troika to which it is heavily indebted.
Meanwhile, Portugal and Spain have sent the European Commission and the European Council a joint protest against Greek Prime Minister's statements which accusing the two countries of trying to mess things up for him.
Comments
The whole Eurozone system is based on loans borrowed by the Troika to lend to those who 'pay back' - early or not - with other loans. How many of the 18 Eurozone economies are actually in the black, or nearly so? Trying to solve an unsolvable situation with political mud-slinging is fooling nobody.
The only ones speaking frankly are the Greeks, to the consternation of those who will, along the line, be forced to eat their own bitter words, after ignoring the plight of their own citizens - whatever the original cause..
Portugal is toying with introducing a racism law. But it will take generations to eradicate the 'Portuguese master race' mentality that is taught in the schools and which confuses so many of us more developed north Europeans.
Right from the start of the crisis we constantly heard that 'We (Portuguese) are not like the Greeks!' Which does not encourage collegiality.
And the Greeks fire back that 'We had democracy whilst the rest of Europe was still swinging through the trees!'
It is a leftist poster, but the left is talking more sense nowadays than either the PSD or the PS.
All the latino countries had not overthrown the shackles of their elites before or since joining the EU - and are paying the price now.
Also good to see Podemos now important enough to be slammed by the Spanish PM.
The original approach being look the other way to avoid giving Podemos the oxygen of publicity.
And note Costa floundering around for an agenda in Portugal - evryone aware that his PS party membership and machinery is part of this countries problem not the solution.