"Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and, of course, [current finance minister] Euclid Tsakalotos, have completely changed the relationship with the European partners. Almost everything has been easier since. It's a completely different situation," outgoing Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem on Friday said in an interview with the Financial Times (FT).

Alexis Tsipras wants a solution to the FYROM name issue, in order to link his term as prime minister with resolving a matter that has been a "thorn" for Athens for decades.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will have a marathon of international meetings in the first half of January. According to IBNA, on January 8, Alexis Tsipras will be in Cyprus to participate in the tripartite summit of Greece, Cyprus and Israel, on January 10th in Rome for the summit of the heads of state and governments of the Mediterranean countries of the EU, and will visit Cyprus again, on January 16, for the first tripartite Summit between Cyprus, Greece and Jordan.