Photo: Ethnos
The Euro Working Group has set for Athens a 6-day period within which the Greek state should submit a new list of budget, pension system, privatisation and labour relations reforms. If the creditors approve this list, hopes are that an agreement might be reached at the next meeting of the Eurogroup in Riga on 24 April, as reported by correspondent of the Kathimerini newspaper in Brussels Eleni Varvitsioti. Negotiator for Greece Nikos Teocharakis admitted to the institutions that his country had money to eke out an existence until 24 April, but at the same time, he was not able to present a reform list to satisfy the creditors.
The partners in turn confirmed that there was progress in the work of the technical teams of the institutions, which are in Athens. At the same time, however, they admitted that there was a huge gap in expectations in many areas and the road to agreement would be long. The representatives of the supervisory Troika expressed concern as to who would be appointed director of the financial stability fund, the nomination of former Representative of Greece to the International Monetary Fund Panagiotis Roumeliotis being discussed for this post.
"It is impossible for someone who is looking for financial assistance not to work to reach an agreement with the three institutions," a source from the European Commission told Kathimerini newspaper. Several European Union member states expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of progress on the agreement of 20 February on the part of Greece.
Nikos Teocharakis accused the previous government of data unavailability, which hindered the progress of the technical teams in Athens. The Greek Easter holidays and the related rest days as well as the participation of the creditors in the meeting of the International Monetary Fund in Washington in the period 17-19 April will further delay the negotiations.