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Τρίτη, 02 Μαΐου 2017 15:58

Govt spox refers to 'balanced, viable' agreement with creditors over extra austerity measures

The government spokesman added his “spin” on the day’s early-morning agreement to conclude a still outstanding review of the second Greek program with creditors, referring to “difficulties, delays and outrageous demands by lenders”.

The government spokesman added his “spin” on the day’s early-morning agreement to conclude a still outstanding review of the second Greek program with creditors, referring to “difficulties, delays and outrageous demands by lenders”.

In a regular briefing of reporters on Tuesday, spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said the preliminary agreement is “balanced and viable”.

In a bid to highlight what the increasingly bewildered Tsipras government has called “positive measures”, essentially countervailing measures in the form of more welfare spending if fiscal targets are achieved, he said they will be included in a separate article.

Moreover, he again insisted that the agreement has “zero fiscal” impact.

The leftist-rightist government last month bowed to creditors’ demands for a total of 2 percent of GDP in additional austerity measures, such as pension cuts (1 percent of GDP in 2019) and a lowering of the tax-free threshold (the other 1 percent of GDP in 2020).