Officials of Greek ministries involved in the ongoing bailout program met on Monday with IMF experts that arrived in Athens, as the Fund's delegation is in Greece to conclude negotiations ahead of a closely watched report on the Greek economy and the sustainability of the country's debt. The report will be released next month.
The IMF's auditors arrived to record economic performance figures as well as the Greek coalition government's intentions after the current - and last - bailout ends in August 2018. Among others, IMF officials met separately on Monday with Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, Administrative Reform Minister Olga Gerovassili and Labor Minister Efi Achtsioglou.
According to reports, the Greek side committed to appointing all permanent ministry general directors and secretaries until the end of 2018, a memorandum obligation.
On the labor front, Greek government officials also reportedly broached the issue of possibly increasing the minimum monthly wage rate in the country this year, and not in 2019.
Referring to the sensitive issue of additional social security cuts - scheduled for Jan. 1, 2019 - the Greek side is not expected to touch the matter in the current phase.
