Alexis Tsipras, prime minister of Greece | Sean Gallup/Getty Images Alexis Tsipras: Toughest reforms are behind us Greece may soon be ready to issue bonds, prime minister said.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras believes his country is on the brink of an economic comeback after a seven-year crisis, he told Reuters in an interview published Thursday.

Tsipras said he expected Greek GDP growth to reach 0.2 to 0.4 percent this year, significantly better than the 0.3 contraction predicted by Eurostat, the EU's statistics agency. Next year, Greece could surpass a 2.7 percent growth rate forecast, he added.

The prime minister said he hoped Greece would be included in the European Central Bank's quantitative easing program within the next six months, which would send a "strong message we will be ready to prepare the procedure to issue bonds" next year.

"One way or the other there should really be a breakthrough by the end of the year" on debt relief, Tsipras said.

Greece is "rushing" to meet reform targets "at the end of September, start of October," so the country can obtain an additional €2.8 billion in assistance from international lenders by the end of October, the prime minister said.

The toughest reforms have already been implemented, Tsipras argued.