European Commissioner for Financial Affairs Pierre Moscovici met with Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday as part of his two day visit to Athens to discuss the country’s exit from the Troika financial supervision.

“Greece is now a normal country in the Eurozone. There is no other adjustment programme for Greece, there can’t be and there will not be,” Moscovici stated during the meeting at the Maximos Mansion.

“I have always opposed the excesses of austerity and those who wanted a punitive action against Greece. Greece has always declared its commitment to the euro area and I want to pay tribute to the courage of the Greek people and the parliament which held up the difficult and necessary initiatives,” he noted, adding that the end of the program is a victory for Greece and the eurozone.

“As of June 21, Greece is back on its feet and is making new steps as an integral part of the EU, and the EU will always be by your side, as we have been so far,” Moscovici added, stressing that the time has come for Greece to demonstrate how fast it can achieve solid and strong growth as well as social justice.

Mr Tsipras agreed, welcoming the statement whist he promised his government will ensure a smooth transition.

EU Commissioner of Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs Pierre Moscovici (R) talks with Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos (L) prior to his speech at the joint meeting of the parliamentary committees on ‘A new chapter for Greece’ in Athens, Greece, 03 July 2018. Photoi: AAP via EPA/YANNIS KOLESIDIS

“The most important thing for Greece is that from now on, elected governments will have a right to select the means of achieving the targets they set,” the Greek PM said, as statement that was followed by Mr Moscovici’s commitment that the European Commission will be at Greece’s side “as a partner and a friend in a eurozone that needs to be strengthened and united even further.”

Moreover, during his address in parliament, calling Greece “a normal country in the Eurozone” the Commissioner said that there won’t be a fourth program of any kind, stating that the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the EU and the European Central Bank – won’t be coming back to Athens to oversee its finances.

Moscovici’s statements were not received well by everyone.

Greece’s opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, argued that “there will be no clear exit in August, as no other country that went under Troika supervision had to be subjected to future commitments, further measures and continuous supervision”.

The leader of the New Democracy party also expressed his fears of a “fourth concealed memorandum” and his lack of trust towards the Syriza-ANEL government.

Finally, Mr Mitsotakis suggested Mr Moscovici is more careful in his next public speech, asking him to show respect to the sacrifices Greek people have had to endure, the unnecessary austerity measures that have been imposed on them over the past three years not to mention what the Tsipras-Kammenos coalition has already signed for Greece’s immediate future.