Greece stuck in crisis

Anyone hoping that Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with European bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and a eurozone exit in the first half of the year — then Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II in the next six months.

The financial standoff started in January, when an election produced Greece's first ever left-wing government led by 40-year-old Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. 

With his jacket collar open and tie-less and his shirt untucked, new Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis toured European capitals insisting that Greece's latest bailout deal was dead and a swift debt write-off was vital.

White-knuckle negotiations in Brussels forced Tsipras to reverse course but not before Greeks voted in a referendum on the debt crisis. Varoufakis was replaced, Greek bank rationed cash withdrawals to fend off a panic, and a split Tsipras' his left-wing Syriza party forced another election in September.

As Greece headed back into recession, record numbers of migrants and refugees poured into the country's eastern Aegean Sea islands, triggering a major European border crisis. Greek authorities were overwhelmed both on the islands and at the country's northern border as some 800,000 people flooded in. Hundreds drown just trying to reach Greek shores on flimsy boats provided by Turkish smuggling rings.

Athens had to swallow another compromise to get European Union aid to house the refugees. It had to reverse course and agree to resume the mass detentions of asylum-seekers who were being turned away from Europe for being economic migrants, not refugees from war-torn areas.

Here's a look at Greece's traumatic year of 2015, as seen by Associated Press photographers.

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In this photo taken on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015, leader of Syriza left-wing party Alexis Tsipras speaks to his supporters after his election victory outside Athens University Headquarters. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

In this Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015, a supporter of Alexis Tsipras leader of Syriza left-wing party holds the Greek flag after his election victory outside Athens University Headquarters. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

In this photo taken on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015, an Iranian migrant has his mouth sewn shut during a protest near the village of Idomeni at the Greek-Macedonian border. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015, paramedics and doctors try to revive a baby after a boat with refugees and migrants sunk while was crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey to the Greek island of Lesbos. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Santi Palacios)

In this photo taken on Monday, March 16, 2015, ruined EU and Greek flags fly in tatters from a flag pole at a beach at Anavissos village, southwest of Athens. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)

In this photo taken on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, Macedonian border police helps refugees and migrants to pass in heavy rainfall from the northern Greek village of Idomeni to southern Macedonia. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, July 1, 2015, pensioners try to get a number to enter inside a bank in Athens. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

In this photo taken on Thursday, June 18, 2015, a Greek coast guard vessel uses a light to spot migrants arrive on an overcrowded dinghy from the Turkish coast during a patrol operation near the port of Mytilene on the Greek island of Lesvos. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

In this photo taken on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, a migrant lies on the railway track in front of Macedonian policemen during clashes at the Greek-Macedonian border, near the northern Greek village of Idomeni. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015, policemen try to disperse hundreds of migrants by spraying them with fire extinguishers, during a registration procedure which was taking place at the stadium of Kos town, on the southeastern island of Kos, Greece. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)

In this photo taken on Sunday, June 28, 2015, a man walks past a graffiti made by street artist N_Grams that read ''NO'' in German but also ''YES, IN'' in Greek language in Athens. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015, a woman and a man kiss after their arrival on a dinghy with other migrants and refugees from the Turkish coast to the northeastern Greek island of Lesbos. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

In this photo taken on Sunday, June 28, 2015, people stand in a queue to use an ATM cash machine of a bank in central Athens. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

In this photo taken on Sunday, July 5, 2015, supporters of the No vote react after the results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

In this photo taken on Monday, July 27, 2015, two migrants pull an overcrowded dinghy with Syrian and Afghan refugees arriving from the Turkish coast to the Greek island of Lesbos. Anyone hoping Greece might finally have a quiet year was quickly disappointed in 2015. Brinkmanship with bailout lenders brought the country a half-step from financial collapse and eurozone exit, while Greece was at the center of Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II. (AP Photo/Santi Palacios)

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Text from the AP news story, AP PHOTOS: In 2015, Greece stuck in debt and migrant crisis.

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