MOSCOW, February 1 (Sputnik) – European Parliament President Martin Schulz has expressed concern over the new Greek government's pro-Russian stance, the Welt am Sonntag German newspaper reports.
"I told [Greek Prime Minister Alexis] Tsipras: you demand solidarity from European partners. But your first step was a violation of solidarity in foreign politics. Nothing good will come out of it," Schulz said in an interview with Welt am Sonntag published Sunday, referring to the discontent the newly-elected Greek government expressed with regard to anti-Russia sanctions earlier this week.
On Tuesday, EU leaders asked the Foreign Affairs Council to consider new sanctions against Russia over its alleged involvement in the situation in Ukraine, where independence fighters continue to clash with Kiev forces.
Schulz told Welt am Sonntag that such a position is primarily aimed at showing the Greek public that new people have come to power in Greece.
Last week, the left-wing Syriza party gained victory in parliamentary elections in the country.
Following the win of the eurosceptic party on January 25, the newly-elected Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras formed an anti-austerity coalition government between the winning party and the Independent Greeks, a nationalist right-wing party, promising to renegotiate the country's debt bailout with international creditors.
Greece's new Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said Friday that the new Greek government would not seek to extend the bailout program and would not cooperate with the so-called troika of international creditors – the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund – that are administering the country's debt.
On Saturday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that any further debt relief for Greece is unlikely, as banks have already written of billions of the country's debt.
