By N. Bellos
Eurogroup chair Jeroen Dijsselbloem on Tuesday hinted at the possibility of re-examining a memorandum-mandated target of a 3.5-percent primary budget surplus, as a percentage of GDP, by Greece for 2018.
Speaking at a relevant European Parliament committee meeting in Brussels, the Dutch finance minister said such a possibility would be part of efforts to keep IMF participation in the third and ongoing Greek bailout. He spoke as a Dutch representative and head of the ECOFIN council, ahead of Thursday’s expected decision by the European Stability Mechanism to release a 7.5-billion-euro loan tranche to Greek state coffers.
Dijsselbloem told MEPs who serve on the committee that such a budget target for an extended period of time is not realistic. He linked the possible revision in the Greek program targets to talks scheduled for the end of the year with the IMF over its continued participation in the bailout.
In a related development, according to Commission sources in Brussels, the goal is to release the money to Athens before a referendum on June 23 on Britain’s continued membership in the EU.
Asked about the Euro zone bloc’s relations, as a body, with the leftist Greek government, he said last year’s “difficult phase” and damaged trust between the parties have been replaced by today’s good cooperation and a fruitful mood of talks.
