“Now is the time to change the policy mix and move forward to those reforms that up until yesterday the previous governments did not have the political will to advance,” Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Thursday said after a “very constructive” meeting with Belgium premier Charles Michel in Brussels.

New Democracy (ND) leader Antonis Samaras is in Brussels to attend the European Peoples Party meeting.

The phrase "extension of the memorandum" was the one that led to the cancellation of the joint announcement after the end of Wednesday's Eurogroup meeting" said government spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis adding that the Greek side did not accept this expression.

Their own message of support to the Greek government, in the midst of critical negotiations with the Eurogroup was sent on Wednesday afternoon by dozens of expatriates, and a host of US citizens from the heart of Manhattan.