Greek

With Greece's banks just days away from a potential collapse that could drag the country out of the euro, Tsipras had been expected to offer up economic reforms in exchange for loans.

Instead he came with only vague proposals and a commitment to back it up with real figures and a written plan on Wednesday.

"You know, there was a promise for today. Then, they're promising for tomorrow," said Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite. "For the Greek government it's every time 'manana.'"

In a meeting with Pavlopoulos, Tsipras was expected to have presented his plans for negotiating a new bailout deal with the country's creditors.

Pavlopoulos says he accepted Tsipras' demand, saying that the referendum was not about staying in or leaving the euro.

Meanwhile, Police say about 100-150 anarchist protesters have started throwing firebombs at riot police and setting trash cans on fire in the central Athens neighbourhood of Exarcheia. This is far from the place where celebrations are taking place by supporters of the "no" vote in Sunday's referendum.

In 2012, financial markets were rattled by the possibility that Greeks would elect a left-wing government, default on their debts and drop the euro currency. The fears pushed the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index down nearly 10 percent that spring.

Here's how things look now: The left-wing party, Syriza, holds power in Athens. Greece actually did miss a loan payment to the International Monetary Fund late Tuesday. And the nation's future in the eurozone hinges precariously on a referendum Sunday.