OK, there may have not be a huge breakthrough in the Greece talks with the creditors in Paris on Saturday. But some progress has been indeed made. Therefore, the Euro Working Group will meet via teleconference on Wednesday, April 22, two days before the Eurogroup meeting scheduled for April 24th. That is: another crucial Eurogroup for Greece.
The Brussels Group decision to hold the EWG meeting is been considered as sign indicating “small but important progress.”
According to Greek media, talks on Saturday focused on macroeconomics and fiscal issues, with the Greek side to push for a primary surplus of 1.2% for 2015.
Creditors propose their own good old and failed recipe of austerity including further cuts in pensions and further hikes in tax revenues, and stick to continuation of the austerity implementation as they did with the previous governments.
The bargain in Paris continues also on Sunday. Fo course, this is not the Last Bargain in Paris, as the SYRIZA economic team cannot accept the creditors demands just because they are on the table.
the talks takes place in the premises of the Greek representation at OECD. Why the Brussels talks take place in Paris? I have no idea. I think I heard somewhere, that the Brussels Group members could not book accommodation in Brussels – for some unknown reasons – or something like that…
it is pretty clear that they will patch things up in april…
and then the big bam will come this summer when the 7b euros come due.
but it will be summer so everybody will be on holiday and no one will notice!