Gov’t expects deal at staff level next week

With Athens pushing for a speedy conclusion to the second review of the country’s third bailout, government aides said on Wednesday they were confident that a staff-level agreement with bailout creditors is likely by next Wednesday at the latest. 

Once this is achieved, the government plans to pass the measures it has agreed to in Parliament in May before the May 22 Eurogroup.

The leftist-led government was no doubt also boosted by remarks made by the European Union’s head office, which said Wednesday that Greece is delivering on its fiscal targets and that an agreement to hand more bailout cash to Athens could come next month. 

For his part, European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis expressed hope that a deal between Greece and its creditors will come soon and allow for the release of bailout cash next month – which would essentially allay concerns of a Greek bankruptcy this summer.

“One could expect also decisions on disbursement, potentially during the May Eurogroup,” he said.

Meanwhile, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker expressed concerns over the plans for further pension cuts, and stressed the need to outline possible measures on debt relief next month.

“No major cuts in the pension sector should be pursued by the institutions,” Juncker told the euro2day.gr website.