“The ball is now in the creditors’ court,” said George Pagoulatos, a professor at the Athens University of Economics and Business. “Domestic tensions are to be expected as the deal approaches, but it’s calm compared to other periods. Tsipras already crossed the Rubicon in previous bailout reviews so Greeks know what to expect.”
If the reports of a creditor meeting before Dec. 5 to discuss Greece’s debt prove true, “then it means that they must see the conditions for success,” according to Pagoulatos. A good outcome for Tsipras might include more short-term debt relief than expected and a high degree of specification of medium-term relief, even if it’s conditional on Greece’s continued bailout compliance, he said.