Greece Prime Minister wears a neck tie as promised he would after settling the country’s debt issues

After long insisting he would only wear a necktie when Greece’s debt problem was settled, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras duly did so on Friday, after eurozone peers offered debt relief that marks a turn away from the country’s long crisis.

The 43-year-old sported a burgundy number -- briefly -- when addressing an evening meeting of political allies in Athens, a break from the open-necked or polo shirts he usually favours.

“Today is an important day for all, but primarily it belongs to those who for eight years was viciously hit by the crisis, for those who saw a lifetime of toils destroyed and those who carried the burden for the country,” Tsipras said.

“Bets are made to be won,” a smiling Tsipras told the meeting of lawmakers from left-wing Syriza and right-wing Independent Greeks which make up the governing coalition.

“It’s a bit difficult (wearing the tie) but I will get used to it.”

But he publicly removed it about half an hour later. “I fulfilled the bet, I put the tie on but all these years I gave battle without a tie,” he said, holding the garment aloft.