Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Thursday invited the leaders of six southern EU countries to a conference in Athens on September 9, as he moves to form an alliance against the austerity-driven agenda of the bloc’s northern members, Greek media reported.
The conference, which is still being organized, will include France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta, according to the Athens News Agency.
Katherimini reported sources close to Tsipras saying the time is right to create a strong southern “axis” to counter the influence of countries in northern Europe.
The government is keen to find supporters of debt restructuring and lower primary surplus targets set by its creditors, the Greek daily reported, as well as forming a united front on migration, with fears the Greek islands could see a sharp influx of asylum seekers should the shaky EU-Turkey deal collapse.
Tsipras is expected to explore the idea, in particular with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and French President François Hollande, at a meeting of European Socialist heads of state, scheduled in Paris on August 25, according to Katherimini.