Greece is urging Eurozone Ministers meeting in Brussels to recognise the progress made in the talks on the eve of a major repayment to the IMF. Greece has said it will honour Tuesday’s €750m (£544m, $834m) payment. No breakthrough is expected at the Brussels talks, as Greek Ministers try to unlock €7.2bn in desperately needed bailout funds.
But the Athens Government wants a “clear confirmation of progress” to help free up some of the money. Although it has until the end of June to agree a new reform deal with creditors, it has run out of money and called on local Governments and other public bodies to dig into cash reserves to help pay its debt interest instalments.
Greece’s left-wing Syriza party is hoping a positive statement from Brussels would mean that part of the EU/IMF bailout money could be paid out and would enable the European Central Bank to restore liquidity to the country’s beleaguered banks.