Friday, March 20, 2015

European Summit: Merkel and Hollande reframe Alexis Tsipras – Les Echos

Come seek political support, the Greek Prime Minister has met in Brussels to an estoppel on the part of its partners expect fast reforms promised last month.

Three hours of discussion, “free but not confrontational” according to the entourage of the President of the European Commission, to reaffirm the contents of the agreement on the Greece, concluded by the Eurogroup on 20 February. Met six, after the EU summit in the European Council building, around a small table, Alexis Tsipras has sought to convince Francois Hollande, Angela Merkel and representatives of the European institutions: Mario Draghi for ECB Jean Claude Juncker for the European Commission, Donald Tusk to the European Council and the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem.

Come seek immediate financial support, the Greek Prime Minister has met the clear and unambiguous rejection of its partners who have criticized him for not keeping its reform commitments, multiply antagonisms and put a spoke in the wheels of experts to study the accounts of the country. Thursday from 23:30 to 2:30 Friday, European leaders reiterated the principle arrested a month earlier: no reforms, no money.



336 million to repay Friday

Francois Hollande as Angela Merkel has leaked some impatience with the slow progress in Athens: “Nothing has happened in recent weeks. It is important that it starts to move, “said German Chancellor pointing” difficult financial situation of the country. ” Greece must repay this Friday 336 million to the IMF and the next heavy deadlines are provided in the second week of April. For its part, the French president stressed that the reforms had to be “accelerated” and the information requested to the Greek government issued for the loans can be released. “

As part of the agreement of 20 February, the Greek authorities will be responsible for reform and will present a complete list of specific reforms in the coming days,” said the final communiqué of the meeting. The first list submitted on February 24 by the Greek government was considered too vague by the Chancellor. The statement also confirmed the talks process licensor to Alexis Tsipras that policy discussions will take place both in Brussels, only the technical missions taking place in Athens. In exchange, the government must provide access to experts of the ministries. The President of the ECB, Mario Draghi, reminded the Greek Prime Minister that these practices were common.

The press release indicates that the Eurogroup finally ready to meet “as soon as possible” to decide to possibly pay a tranche of aid to Greece. Quietly left the meeting without holding a press conference, the Greek prime minister has nevertheless welcomed the fact that “Greece will submit its own structural reforms to its European partners.” “It is clear that Greece is not obliged to apply the austerity measures agreed by the previous government in return for the bailout plan,” he added.

Anne Bauer, Catherine Chatignoux, Renaud Honoré, Brussels

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