“we are closer to a compromise agreement on the package of emergency measures and the closure of the first evaluation of the Greek program, but we are not there yet” an eurozone official told Athens News Agency after the Euro Working Group concluded its work on Monday in preparation of the Eurogroup meeting that starts at 3 pm Brussels time.
The EZ official did not elaborate and no further information has been leaked to the press less than two hours before the extraordinary Eurogroup meeting starts.
In Berlin, government spokesman Steffen Seibert made Germany’s position clear, saying that a batch of Greek economic reforms must be reviewed by euro zone finance ministers before any additional debt relief can be decided on.
However, another EZ official said that the Eurozone financial minister will discuss the Greek Debt Relief today so that it becomes sustainable long-term and that the discussion will take place despite German objections. Not that something serious and productive will come out.Importqant decisions are expected to be taken on the regular Eurogroup meeting, on May 24th 2016.
Yet interesting to mention that even some conservative finance ministers from ex communist countries said arriving at the Eurogroup “we are on the way to move forward.”
The Greek government cheers alone for the fact that the Debt Relief will be discussed at the Eurogroup. State broadcaster ERT reports form Brussels that Taskalotos said “the Pensions Reforms and the new taxation issues are closed” – after the voting last night_ and that “some measures will be implemented immediately, while some others in 2017 and 2018.”
PS Today’s Eurogroup drama episode has the title: Schaeuble Home Alone – because other indebted states like Italy, Belgium are scared that the IMF’s condition “to vote now for future contingency measures and their automatic implementation” may affect them too one day.
Dijsselbloem, Dombrovskis, Kazimir, Regling, Schäuble et al. The BS just keeps on flowing. What’s amazing is that there are still people willing to listen to it.