Yannis Stournaras had talks with officials from
the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and
the European Commission.
The delegation is scrutinizing a government forecast that the
scheduled bailout loans will be 500 million euros ($670 million)
short of the country's 2014 financing needs. Athens maintains
the sum is small enough to make up without resorting to further
austerity measures.
After the talks, Stournaras said both sides are hoping for a
deal by early next month, when finance ministers from the 17
European countries that use the euro currency are due to hold
their next meeting.
"The negotiations are tough, but we are working on the scenario
of an agreement by Dec. 9," he said, voicing optimism that a
deal can be struck by then without new salary cuts for state
employees.
"We are working 24 hours a day to attain an agreement,"
Stournaras said.
Greece has relied on international rescue loans since 2010,
under a bailout program worth 240 billion euros ($322 billion).
In return, the country has implemented harsh spending cuts and
repeatedly raised taxes.
Greece is in the sixth year of a deep recession, and
unemployment is at a record high of more than 27 percent.
[Associated
Press]
Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|