Seeing the arrangement as an admission of failure and a declaration of bankruptcy, they protested so loudly that the government, though still going ahead, was obliged to issue an apology.

ECONOMIST: The new government faces an economic mess

"If we should determine that everything is going wrong in Greece, then there would not be a new program, then that would mean that in March a declaration of bankruptcy would occur, " Mr. Juncker said in the interview.

WSJ: Greek Party Leaders Struggle to Resolve Overhaul Differences