Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-10-05
CONTENTS
[01] EU sees progress in Greek debt-cutting drive
[01] EU sees progress in Greek debt-cutting drive
Greece is making good progress in a drive to lower its public debt, one
of the highest in Europe, a visiting European Union commissioner said
on Wednesday.
"Through recommendations, the aim is to lower the deficit and ensure
the viability of the Greek economy," Joaqu?n Almunia, the European
Union's commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, told reporters
"So far, progress is good."
Speaking after a meeting with Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis, the
commissioner noted that Greece would send the EU a report on
performance of the national economy in 2005 and the outlook for 2006.
"The report will be evaluated and we will reach our own conclusions. I
cannot pre-empt the outcome of talks between the finance ministry and
European Union," Almunia said. "I hope that things will go well in
2006, and that the public debt will be below 3.0% at the end of that
year."
The commissioner also reported that cooperation had been close with the
finance ministry over the last 18 months, and cooperation with the
minister himself had been very good.
Alogoskoufis added that the government would give the EU two reports by
the end of October - one on the growth and stability plan and another
on economic reform.
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