BRUSSELS (MNI) – EU heads of state and government, gathered here
for a summit meeting, are expected to make a statement on Greece that
will highlight the efforts Athens has made so far while urging speedier
implementation of promised structural reforms, Greek and EU officials
said.
The statement is expected to be either in a written text or
communicated verbally by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy
during a press conference later Thursday or on Friday.
Greece’s Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has been seeking the
support of his European counterparts as his government enters the final
stage of negotiations with officials from the European Commission, the
European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund – the
so-called Troika – on E13.5 billion worth of deficit cutting measures.
Samaras is pressing for a clear message from the EU leaders that
they will release an overdue E31.5 billion loan tranche from Greece’s
bailout package, once the negotiations are concluded.
But it is unclear whether the EU statement will go that far,
because “core” Eurozone countries, led by Germany, insist on reviewing
the Troika’s eagerly-awaited report on Greece before making any official
decisions about the loan tranche. That report is not completed yet.
–Brussels newsroom; apapamiltiadou@marketnews.com; +324-754-38314
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