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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-04-21
CONTENTS
[01] Djisselbloem sees deal with Greece by June 'hard deadline'
[02] EU Commission reports progress in talks with Athens
[01] Djisselbloem sees deal with Greece by June 'hard deadline'
ANA-MPA -- Negotiations between Greece and its creditors are expected
to be completed at the end of June, the head of the Eurogroup Jeroen
Dijsselbloem told RTL television on Tuesday, denying that the deadline
has been moved.
Asked if the deadline for the completion of the negotiations has been
moved further away as it is impossible to complete them by the next
Eurogroup meeting, Dijsselbloem said: "I didn't move any deadline in
the future. We've said this program is extended by four months; that's
the firm deadline, so the program ends at the end of June. That's when
the programme will end. Secondly, we'll start giving money only after
the Greeks will start implementing reforms. This is not happening now,
therefore the programme has stopped. However, we have tried to negotiate
anew, to reach a new agreement. This is still feasible. We won't make
it on April 24, this is why we must continue next week; we will need a
few more weeks."
Asked to comment on the Greek government's decision to ask all
municipal authorities to deposit their cash reserves in order to meet
the government's financial obligations, the head of the Eurogroup said:
"Yes, it's true that all piggy-banks in Greece have emptied. At the
same time, I see some progress in negotiations, so this is reason for
some optimism. We have to reach a deal this week and restart the aid
programme. But the problem is that the more you discuss about the measures
you will implement, the more time you lose to really implement them."
[02] EU Commission reports progress in talks with Athens
ANA-MPA - There is progress in the negotiations between the institutions
and the Greek authorities but a progress report is not expected to
be drafted, EU Commissioner Pierre Moscovici's spokesperson Annika
Breidthardt said on Tuesday in Brussels.
Asked whether the Brussels Group was preparing a written progress report
on Greece ahead of the April 24 Eurogroup, she said that there is progress
but that she knew nothing of a written progress report. She added that
in any case the Eurogroup Working Group which on Wednesday will hold a
teleconference and the Eurogroup meeting in Riga will take stock of the
latest progress accomplished in the talks between the institutions and
the Greek authorities.
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