Greece: a new Eurogroup for nothing? – Point

Unless a dramatic turn of events last minute, there is not much to expect from the meeting of finance ministers of the euro zone on Thursday. This is essentially the message that passed an official of the European Union Wednesday when he has less than 15 days before the expiry of the financial assistance program for Greece. “I honestly think it will be very short,” said he let go.

Eurogroup Meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday, ministers should simply be informed on the progress of technical discussions between “the institutions” (the IMF, the ECB, the European Commission and the European Stability Mechanism), before their counterpart Yannis Varoufakis not do their share of his views on the subject.

New heights in perspective

But in the absence of new proposals for reform on the part of Greece, no need to wait for a political solution, especially as “the institutions” (vocabulary which replaced the “troika”, reviled by the Greeks) should first study to determine the seriousness. The other 18 finance ministers should therefore reaffirm, as for weeks, their desire to see Athens present credible reforms. Point to the line.

Greece would therefore be one of many topics on the agenda of the meeting. If the country’s future in the euro area remains indisputably the number one concern Thursday, it is not today that the standoff should end.

The two camps are passing the ball

Alexis Tsipras, the Greek Prime Minister, seems to rely more on a discussion at the level of Heads of State and government to politicize the debate. A risky strategy when the next summit is expected that the 25-26, just days before the deadline for the repayment of 1.6 billion euros to the IMF on 30 and the expiry of the European aid plan. Any further extension would require the approval of some national parliaments, including the German Bundestag, which would take time.

Meanwhile, each side always blames the other. “We are ready, day and night, but if nothing comes, we are waiting,” says does one European side, while saying “fully committed to finding solutions.” Clearly, the ball is in the Greek camp. “The institutions went far beyond what is provided for in the agreement of 20 February. True fiscally and all structural reforms that have a budgetary implication [...], the movement has been enormous, “insists does one, while Greece accuses the contrary the IMF to demand sacrifices” criminals, “as a further decline in pensions or an increase in VAT on electricity.

The Commission denies impose more austerity

At the midday, at a press conference on taxation of European companies, European Commissioner Pierre Moscovici himself against this presentation of things. It “is really false to present the Commission as trying to impose some sort of austerity for Greece.” The French says he wants “give Greece the opportunity to develop social, humanitarian and economic for the future.” On one of the main sticking points of negotiations, pension reform, he said trying to “protect those with low pensions.” But he also recalled that the Greek system “is one of the most expensive in Europe,” and that he had become “financially sustainable”.

“The Eurogroup tomorrow perhaps will not conclusive, but it must be useful, “said Pierre Moscovici. Wishful thinking?