BERLIN
Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said Athens is ready for more talks with international creditors if they come up with new proposals ahead of a referendum set for July 5 on the disputed bailout deal.
"For our part, we stand ready to negotiate during the time period in which the citizens should make their decisions," Varoufakis told German daily Bild on Sunday.
He said the Greek government may even drop its opposition to the bailout deal, if international creditors offer "significantly better" proposals this week and they reach an agreement on the terms.
"Then we can change our recommendation and urge the electorate to vote for it," he said.
Greece and international creditors failed to reach an agreement Saturday on the conditions to extend country's bailout program which ends Tuesday.
The Greek coalition government led by radical-left Syriza party rejected the conditions set by the international institutions, the EU commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, as well as the Eurogroup, and proposed a referendum on continuing the country's bailout.
The Greek parliament backed the referendum plan by a large majority in a vote early Sunday.
The Greek government said it would recommend Greeks vote 'no' in the referendum on July 5.
Without the bailout, Greece is expected to default on its $2 billion payments due to the International Monetary Fund next week.
Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis claimed Sunday that the ball is now on the court of European leaders.
"The leaders of the EU should take action. Among them Chancellor Merkel, the representative of the most significant member state, holds the key. I hope she uses it," Varoufakis told Bild daily.
Last week Merkel urged Greece to accept the deal, describing it as "extraordinarily generous".
Greece’s rejection of the conditions and the decision to hold a referendum sparked worries across European capitals.
Chancellor Merkel has invited German party leaders and parliamentary group leaders to a special meeting on Greece on Monday, her office announced Sunday.
Vice Chancellor and Social Democrat Party leader Sigmar Gabriel has cancelled a planned visit to Israel on Sunday, due to recent developments on Greece.
