Brussels, 14/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - In a discussion with the European Parliament on 14 April (see separate article), Economic and Financial Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said that the European Commission expected Greece to take action and introduce reforms.
The Commissioner said there had to be more of a meeting of minds among the parties and for that, efforts were required as talks were currently advancing slowly.
On the same day, the Greek media reported rather pessimistic comments by the IMF director for Europe, Poul Thomsen, who told the IMF board that the talks with Greece to draw up a list of reforms were not working and he didn't see how the institutions' monitoring mission (European Commission, ECB and IMF) could reach an end. The only way the next aid instalment will be paid is if the mission is concluded (and commitments are implemented).
The Greek government denied an article in the Financial Times claiming that Greece was preparing to default on payments if the talks with its lenders at the end of the April were to break down. The FT says the government has decided to withhold €2.5 billion worth of payments due to the IMF in May and June if agreement is not reached. The FT adds that the government is looking for €2.4 billion to pay pensions and public service pay at the end of April.
A Greek government spokesperson said, however: “Negotiations are proceeding swiftly towards a mutually beneficial solution” and swept aside any idea of early elections. Defence minister Panos Kammenos said in an interview on Antenna TV on Tuesday: “There will be no more austerity measures.”
The European Commission refused to comment on recent press articles, fed up with rumours about Greece. Commission spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said the Commission was only interested in facts, not rumour and hoped the facts would emerge before the Eurogroup meeting on Friday 24 April. Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis said on Monday that the Greek list of reforms should be ready on 20 April so that Eurogroup can talk about it at its meeting in Riga on 24 April. The talks with the lenders are stalled on the question of a cut in public service pensions and reform of the labour markets. (Elodie Lamer)