Alekos Flambouraris

The radical leftist SYRIZA government went out of its way on Tuesday to offer political protection to its controversial alternate migration minister on Tuesday, amid a continuing “tsunami” of undocumented migrants landing on various Greek isles from practically “all points east”.

The powerful “Left Platform” of the Radical Left Coalition met on Monday night in what looked like an election campaign (but wasn’t) following the faction’s rift with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras after he signed a deal with harsh austerity measures at the Euro Summit on July 13.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had telephone contact with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in an effort to find a mutually viable compromise solution to the Greek problem by Tuesday night. Sources state that Tsipras has made a proposal that would be of mutual benefit to both sides and that would solve the country’s credit problems.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras spoke by telephone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Sunday, just hours before a crucial eurozone leaders' summit in Brussels, the Greek premier's office said.

A crucial 48 hours of deliberations ahead of an extraordinary Euro summit on Monday begins with the return of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras from St. Petersburg. A three-hour briefing of Tsipras began at 2 p.m. on Saturday soon after his arrival to Greece. He met with Deputy Prime Minister Giannis Dragasakis followed by Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and Economy Minister George Stathakis.

Greece faces another critical week as eurozone finance ministers and leaders gather in Brussels on Monday for successive summits aimed at resolving deadlocked negotiations between the Greek government and its creditors that have fueled fears about a possible Greek default and exit from the eurozone.

There were signs on Thursday that SYRIZA officials are preparing their party colleagues and the public for the possibility that the government will have to sign up to an agreement with lenders that will not be looked upon favorably by some MPs and voters.

The Greek government is considering action to attract foreign movie productions. “Greece has all the advantages that can render it a unique center of international productions,” said Alekos Flambouraris, State Minister for Co-ordinating Government Operations.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is due to hold talks on Thursday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande on the sidelines of a European Union leaders? meeting in Riga in the hope that his counterparts will provide the political spur needed to help conclude negotiations between Greece and its lenders successfully.

SYRIZA's political secretariat is due to meet on Wednesday at lunchtime as the deliberations within the leftist party gather pace ahead of a possible deal with lenders, which some MPs and members have indicated they may reject.