Greek PM presses for early debt deal with lenders

Tsipras expects a deal with creditors by May 9, three days before a debt payment to the IMF of about 750 million euros is due. — AFP

ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said he is confident of an early deal with international creditors, after shaking up his negotiating team and sidelining his outspoken finance minister who has infuriated eurozone partners.

But Tsipras also said he would have to resort to a referendum if lenders insisted on demands deemed unacceptable by his leftist government, elected to scrap austerity.