Juncker sours over Athens' misrepresentations

“In order to remain friends one has to respect some minimum rules,” Juncker was quoted as saying after Tsipras called some proposals in the plan “absurd” from the podium of the Greek Parliament on Friday, during a nationally televised address.

The former Luxembourg PM also said Tsipras and his government need to table “alternative proposals” very quickly, as crushing deadlines approach.

The next face-to-face meeting between Tsipras and other European leaders is expected on Thursday in Brussels on the sidelines of EU-Latin America summit.

Speaking at a press conference before the start of a G7 summit in Germany, he was asked about deadlines faced by an increasingly cash-strapped Greek government, merely noting that “…for sure there will be a deadline,” although no fixed date was cited.

Moreover, Juncker said he didn’t field a request for a telephone chat with Tsipras on Saturday because to alternative proposals had been sent by the SYRIZA government.

The statement clashed with a previous statement disseminated by the Maximos Mansion, the Greek government seat, which merely referred to “speculation” and “unanswered phone calls”.