Brussels, 18/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - Greece is expected to make progress in the evening of Tuesday 18 June in talks with its lenders, including on privatisation.
It is now admitted by all sides that the 2013 privatisation targets will not be met, but that does not mean that they will be watered down, according to Greek media reports. After the collapse of the privatisation of energy company DEPA, the Commission urged Athens to try again (see EUROPE 10864). There is reported to be more openness to the Greek government's idea of reducing VAT on cafes and restaurants.
The cabinet has reached a decision on the closure of broadcaster ERT (see related article), providing the coalition government with some breathing space, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' partners are still cut to the quick about his decision to shut down the public service broadcaster without consulting them. The leader of Pasok, Evangelos Venizelos, said that the key question was that the government had to operate as a proper coalition government, not as a one-party government of New Democracy that only puts up with the other two partners. Similar comments were made by Dimar, whose leader, Fotis Kouvelis, criticised Samaras for acting unilaterally. Talks will resume among the coalition parties on Wednesday. On Monday evening, Euro Commissioner Olli Rehn warned the country that the last thing Greece needs is a new political crisis. Germany called on Greece to keep up the pace of reforms. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble is due in Athens next week. (EL/transl.fl)