Tsipras gears up for talks with EC president Juncker

Leftist SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras has requested a meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and, sources indicated on Friday, the overture has been accepted.

A date is expected to be set in the coming days for a meeting in Brussels between the two men.

SYRIZA has ramped up its efforts to strengthen ties with European officials as opinion polls put the party firmly ahead of conservative New Democracy, which leads the fragile coalition government, and the leftists are widely expected to win if snap elections are called early next year.