The latest criticism aimed directly at the IMF by a high-ranking Greek government official came on Wednesday, with the head of fiscal policy charging that the Fund is consistently questioning the figures supplied by the Greek government.
Relevant finance ministry general secretary Frangiskos Koutentakis pointed to what he claimed were different interpretations vis-a-vis results of the 2015 Greek budget.
The Greek side estimates that the 2015 budget ended with a primary surplus of 0.2 percent of GDP, while the IMF insists that the budget posted a 0.6-percent deficit based on GDP.
Kountentakis said the IMF has not justified its estimates.
The IMF has again emerged as the strictest of Greece’s four institutional creditors, now known as the “quartet”, insisting on public spending cuts and a liberalization of labor relations and markets. The Fund has pushed for pension reforms beyond what the leftist government apparently can stomach, as well.
The Greek official said the IMF’s position is mostly behind the continuing delay in achieving the first review of the Greek program (third bailout), and by extension, provoking a “catastrophic uncertainty” in the economy.
He also claimed that representatives of the quartet recommended to Athens that priority be given to meeting debt and interest payments if the next loan tranche is delayed.
