Moscovici calls for a rapid conclusion of negotiations on Greece – Liberation

The European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Pierre Moscovici, on Thursday called for a quick conclusion of negotiations between Athens and its creditors, stressing that any delay would have adverse consequences for the Greek economy.

“We have to conclude its consideration of reform of Greece as quickly as possible,” he said at a briefing with reporters in Brussels.

“any further delay would be detrimental to the Greek economy, “he said.

Nine months after the agreement with forceps between Greece and its creditors on an aid package of 86 billion euros, Athens and its creditors the EU and IMF have not yet completed the first review of the reforms demanded in Greece. Initially it was to be completed in the fall.

Mr. Moscovici also called for such a conclusion is done within the framework of a meeting of finance ministers of the euro area, while the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras Wednesday launched the idea of ​​a meeting of Heads State and government, if nothing progressed at ministerial level.

the meeting of finance ministers of the euro area, “it is clearly the right level of decision,” he said. “I believe we are close to an agreement (…). We’ll get there. I hope it will be very soon, “he said.

On” the mechanism of additional measures (…) we must make more progress to make it acceptable to the Greeks “has he said.

last Friday, at the Eurogroup meeting in Amsterdam, the Europeans, to convince the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to participate in the Greek aid plan, are agreed on the principle of a package of additional measures that would be imposed if Athens did not meet the budgetary targets for 2018.

This year, the date of expiry of the aid plan concluded that summer 2015, Greece is expected to achieve a primary budget surplus (before interest payments on debt) of 3.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This target is considered unrealistic by the IMF, at least in the long term.

But the Greek government rejected further action by offering in exchange “automatic mechanism” that would allow the government to make additional spending cuts in case of slippage in public finances.

Mr. Moscovici has made a step towards the Greek government suggesting a “mechanism” that would lead to action if necessary. “From our point of view, we should not have a series of precise and detailed measures,” he said.

“It’s certainly difficult for any parliament or government legislate on possible measures to be taken in three years but it is certainly possible to have an automatically operated mechanism if an adjustment becomes necessary, “he said.

AFP