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Παρασκευή, 31 Μαρτίου 2017 15:35

Commission spox merely confirms that no date given for return of creditors' negotiators to Athens

A Commission spokeswoman on Friday again merely confirmed that no date was set for a return of creditors' negotiators to Athens in order to resume talks to finally conclude a second review of the Greek program (third bailout).

A Commission spokeswoman on Friday again merely confirmed that no date was set for a return of creditors' negotiators to Athens in order to resume talks to finally conclude a second review of the Greek program (third bailout).

At present, the second review is now more than a year in delay, with negative developments in the crisis-swamped Greek economy in the first quarter of the year piling on.

Annika Breidthardt again stuck by the "progress has been recorded" line in answering questions at a regular press briefing. Her statement came after a EWG meeting on Thursday evening also failed to reveal a return of top negotiators back to Greece.

What's apparent this week is that talks between the embattled Tsipras government and creditors are continuing, but at a distance, in order to finalize a draft agreement over new austerity measures and fiscal targets for after 2019, leaving only the details to be ironed out in person. A staff-level agreement to be presented at an April 7 Eurogroup meeting in Malta is the latest "unofficial deadline" that both sides have cited.