The fourth Greek bailout evaluation, which ended with a staff-level agreement, and debt relief measures top the agenda on today’s Eurogroup meeting.
The discussion on debt relief and their outcome will determine whether the IMF will remain on board with the Greek programme.
The annotated agenda of today’s meeting outlined the steps towards the crucial staff-level agreement, which was concluded on 19 May:
“The Eurogroup will take stock of the progress with the fourth review of the ESM stability support programme on the basis of a debrief from the mission of the institutions to Athens. The Eurogroup will also continue its discussions on the debt strategy. The Eurogroup also held an exchange of views on some key elements to support the successful exit of Greece from the programme. On the basis of a successful review, the Eurogroup will decide in June on all the elements to ensure a successful exit of Greece from the program by August.”
No definitive decisions on the Greek debt will be taken today, as that issue will be part of a comprehensive package agreement, to be decided at the 21 June Eurogroup, in Luxembourg.
Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos will also brief his counterparts on the progress in the ongoing bailout evaluation, as well as on the technical agreement reached between the government and the institutions representing the creditors.
Ahead of the meeting, the Eurogroup noted the government’s commitment to meet all preconditions for completing the evaluation – except for those which the two sides have agreed to postpone until after the formal end of the programme on 20 August – by the 21 June Eurogroup.
On 22 May, as To Vima has reported, a high-level EU official expressed satisfaction over the completion of the technical, staff-level agreement, and said he was certain that all decisions related to Greece’s exit from the bailout programme, including debt relief measures, will be taken by 21 June.
