Brussels (AFP) – Greece will try to reach an agreement Monday on a new funding program which allows to turn the page of austerity, at a meeting which dépendC its future in the euro area <. / p>
“I expect tough negotiations,” said the Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, in a Sunday interview with the German magazine Stern, while saying “quite confident”.
sign of tension between Athens and Brussels, Mr Tsipras has called for talking on the phone with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. “President Juncker made another attempt in an extremely difficult situation,” said a European official on condition of this talk about anonymity, held Sunday.
The meeting of Ministers of Finance of the euro zone, from 14:00 (1300 GMT), may not be enough to bridge the gap between Athens and its partners. “It is not certain that there will be a Monday agreement,” the government estimated on Sunday. “It’s an endurance race prudently conducted and respectful of democracy.”
An agreement can be found “at the last minute or even after the last minute,” added the Minister of Finance ., Yanis Varoufakis, suggesting a long night of negotiations
The stakes are high for Greece: it is to find how to finance short-term, while its aid program ends February 28, and before considering a solution to ease its huge debt of some 315 billion euros, or more than 175% of its GDP.
In the absence of an agreement, the country, can borrow a trickle and at prohibitive rates, risk of falling short of money, with the risk of a euro exit. A “Grexit” which in the worst case scenario could threaten the single currency itself.
“An agreement is essential. Although the Greek government has begun to soften its position, substantial concessions are still needed to reach agreement “, say analysts at BNP Paribas.
The discussions will be very difficult between a eurozone led by Germany, convicted of having already done much to Greece with aid some 240 billion since 2010, and a country worn out by years of recession and humiliated by the tutelage of his creditors (European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund), that impose socially painful reforms.
– ‘Another country in six months’ –
The head of the euro zone, the Dutchman Jeroen Dijsselbloem, said Friday was “pessimistic” about the chances of an agreement, after a disastrous first meeting last week, which was concluded without any progress.
The Europeans want an extension of the current aid plan to keep hold of the reforms, facing the new Greek government dominated by the radical left Syriza, who wants to finish with the “Memorandum” present. The right not to extend the is “an option,” admitted a senior European anonymously. Provided to convince the most inflexible capitals, first Berlin.
Specifically, Athens proposes the establishment of a bridge agreement, accompanied by a flexible program of reforms, which measures deemed most antisocial would be replaced by new ones. Mr Juncker, a measure “antisocial” must be replaced by another of equivalent budgetary impact.
Preparatory meetings were held during the weekend in Brussels to explain the positions of each and identify points of convergence. A report must be delivered on Monday at the meeting of the Eurogroup, but there are still many sticking points, including privatization, on which the new government is largely back, or the rights of employees in the company, said Sunday Mr. Varoufakis
“Instead of money, we need time to implement our reform plan I promise.. after that, Greece will be another country six months, “promised Mr. Tsipras.
Some 20,000 people marched in Athens on Sunday night to support their government, and another 8,000 in Thessaloniki, in the north of the country. Support Demonstrations also took place in several European cities like Paris and Madrid.
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