By Foo Yun Chee and Renee Maltezou BRUSSELS / ATHENS (Reuters ) – Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Greece is close to an agreement with its creditors and will make a payment of debt to the IMF on Friday after a meeting with President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and the head of Finance ministers from the euro zone, Jeroen Dijsselbloem. But despite the European Commission stated that “progress was made in understanding the position of the other party”, the Greek government still refuses benefit cuts and tax hikes that the European Union and the International Monetary Fund want before giving the green light new loans to Athens from falling into bankruptcy. Tsipras told reporters early on Thursday that what is at discussion are “the Greek proposals” and that talks must end with a “realistically”. The great powers of Europe and the United States are concerned about the unpredictable effects that may have a collapse in negotiations while Greece reserves ever closer to zero. Meanwhile, creditors showed an interest in engaging in particular with regard to the surplus of Athens. Tsipras stressed that Athens is very close to an agreement with creditors on its primary budget surplus and its closure was a matter of days. About the payment to the IMF, said: “Do not worry about it,” and noted that Greece has made payments in the past and will continue making . The Greek government has resisted the demands of creditors to perform further cuts to pensions and increase the sales tax to generate a budget surplus increased to enable it to meet its loan obligations. More …
No comments:
Post a Comment