Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Saturday 7 September his intention to reduce the primary surplus targets (excluding debt services) that Athens must meet in the coming years as part of the exit of the third and final financial assistance plan.
“Using our positive results as a weapon, we can claim more realistic annual surplus targets”, he said.
On the basis of the terms of the exit from the third financial assistance plan of August 2018, the Greek authorities must ensure that they have a primary surplus of 3.5% of GDP each year until 2022 and then an average of 2.2% of GDP per year from 2022 to 2060 (see EUROPE 12046/1, 12077/1). The Greek government would expect this target to be reduced to 2% of GDP from 2021 onwards.
If this issue is to be discussed with Athens' European partners, it is not on the agenda of the Eurogroup meeting to be held on Friday 13 September in Helsinki. On the other hand, the Greek Finance Minister, Christos Staïkouras, will submit a request for early repayment of a loan to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)