Juncker eyes 'swift formation' of new Greek government

(BRUSSELS) - Eurozone leader Jean-Claude Juncker said he was eyeing the "swift formation" of a new government in Athens, after pro-EU bailout conservatives topped Sunday's poll.

The Eurogroup of finance ministers that Juncker chairs "looks forward to the swift formation of a new Greek government that will take ownership of the adjustment programme to which Greece and the Eurogroup earlier this year committed themselves," he said in a statement.

The Luxembourg prime minister issued his reaction to New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras' narrow victory over the anti-austerity Syriza party led by Alexis Tsipras.

"The Eurogroup expects the Troika institutions to return to Athens as soon as a new government is in place," Juncker added, in reference to the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank inspectors managing the terms of rescue.

The purpose of this visit would be "to exchange views with the new government on the way forward and prepare the first review under the second adjustment programme."

Greece has been forced to seek bailouts twice, first for 110 billion euros in 2010 and then for 130 billion euros this year plus a 107 billion euro private debt write-off -- for a total of 347 billion euros ($439 billion).

However, the country has been locked in political gridlock with two elections needed in the space of six weeks before Samaras could take a confident stab at agreeing coalition terms with pro-EU Socialists led by former Greek finance minister Evengelos Venizelos.

As estimates of results firmed up in Athens, Germany and Belgium each spoke of scope to delay key conditions in the March deal, such as extending a crucial deficit-cutting deadline to 2016 from 2014.

French Finance Minister Moscovici also said Europe had to help Greece return back to growth.

Anticipating a government in Athens "that will carry the support of the electorate to bring Greece back on a path of sustainable growth," Juncker said the Eurogroup "acknowledges the considerable efforts already made by the Greek citizens."

However, he stressed that currency partners remain "convinced that continued fiscal and structural reforms are Greece's best guarantee to overcome the current economic and social challenges."

This would be the path towards "a more prosperous future of Greece in the euro area," he said.