Tourists make their way outside a souvenir shop at the port of the Greek Aegean island of Naxos
Greece’s European creditors voiced hope yesterday that the country’s newly elected government will deliver on promises to overhaul its economy, which would pave the way to the release of billions of bailout cash and potential help on debt repayments.
As the eurozone’s 19 finance ministers were meeting in Luxembourg to discuss the country’s outlook, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was set to submit his government’s draft 2016 budget to parliament later Monday.
The budget will outline reforms required under the country’s new three-year, 86 billion-euro (USD96 billion) international bailout. Without delivering on its side of the bailout deal agreed in July, Greece would not be able to tap the bailout funds and once again face the prospect of bankruptcy and an exit from the euro.
“A lot of work has to be done,” said Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the eurozone’s top official. “It’s in the Greek interest to deliver as quickly as possible.”
He said Greece must enact a chunk of its promised reforms before creditors can also start discussing how to lighten the country’s debt load.
Greece has relied on bailout funds from its eurozone partners as well as the International Monetary Fund since the spring of 2010. Despite years of spending cuts and tax increases that were required in return for the bailouts, the country is still not in a position to meet its debt commitments on its own.
In return for the third bailout, which was negotiated after months of tortuous negotiations that saw Greece’s banks shuttered for weeks and strict controls on money flows imposed, the Greek government has to deliver on a series of measures, such as sales taxes increases, labor market reforms and privatizations.
Pierre Moscovici, the European Commission’s top economy official, said he’s encouraged by Tsipras’ recent pledges that his government will meet its promises. AP
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