Alexis Tsipras

Government spokeswoman Olga Gerovassili told Greek state TV ERT on Sunday that "as things stand now, Sept. 20 is a feasible election date."

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras resigned Thursday. Opposition leader Evangelos Meimarakis, who was asked to form a government, is expected to inform Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos Monday that he has failed.

Tsipras resigned late Thursday and called an early election next month to deal with a rebellion in his radical left Syriza party over the terms of Greece's new bailout deal.

Investors have been gripped by an increasing sense of unease this week, largely because of the uncertainty related to China. Since early summer, Chinese stocks have taken a battering but global markets haven't responded much — until now.

Following last week's decision by the country's monetary authorities to reduce the value of the yuan, China's currency, stock markets have really taken a hit.

The officials, who spoke only on condition of anonymity pending an announcement by the prime minister, said the snap polls would be held on Sept. 20.

Tsipras was to make an announcement Thursday night, another government official said, while he was expected to also visit the country's president — a necessary formality in calling early elections, for which he would have to step down as prime minister.

Officials in Athens and at the European Union said negotiators are expected to start arriving Friday, marking the first time high-level talks will be held in the Greek capital since Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' left-wing government assumed power in late January.

The news came hours after parliament approved a second round of reforms Greece's European creditors had demanded before the negotiations could start. Tsipras narrowly survived an anti-austerity revolt within his own party.

About 200 people trapped by one fire were plucked off a beach by rescue boats.

In all, firefighters were battling 59 fire fronts, mainly in southern Greece and near the capital.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Greece had requested help from his country's army and air force, as well as the European emergency response center, to fight the blazes.

The violence involved about 200 youths who hurled firebombs and rocks at riot police, and smashed office windows and set fire to trash bins.

Many of the mask-wearing protesters carried wooden bats and pieces of smashed paving stones, in the worst clashes seen since Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' left-wing government was formed six months ago.

The clashes died down as a debate got underway in parliament on a new austerity bill.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations, said Tsipras told Lew that Greece has proven that it does want to strike a deal but that the viability of any agreement must acknowledge what the Greek people has gone through in the last five years.

Facing a self-imposed Sunday deadline, the European nations using the shared euro currency were still seeking more proof from Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras that he could be fully trusted to enact wide-ranging economic reforms to safeguard Greece's future in the common currency.

The Greek parliament early Saturday passed the bailout proposals package with 251 votes in favor and 32 against.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said that the legislature "has given the government a strong mandate to complete the negotiation," adding that "what matters now is the positive outcome."