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Talks between the mission chiefs from the European Union,
International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank and the euro
zone's bailout fund on reviewing Greece's progress and the
government over a tough pension reform plan and fiscal targets
took a break on Friday after four days of meetings.
A positive review is crucial to Greece continuing to receive aid
and to avoid a return to last year's crisis, which saw Athens
come close to crashing out of the euro zone.
Greece expects the review to resume next week and be concluded
by the end of this month to open long-awaited talks that will
make its debt more manageable in the future.
"The government's position is that the whole procedure must be
wrapped up the soonest possible because neither Greece nor
Europe have time to lose," Olga Gerovasili told a regular weekly
briefing of reporters.
"The ball is now on the lenders' court and they should have a
constructive stance."
There are concerns that the review might stumble because Greek
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, whose government hinges on a slim
three-seat majority, faces stiff resistance by several
professional groups, including lawyers and farmers.
Greek stock market <.ATG> plunged about 8 percent on Monday on
fears that the bailout review had hit a snag. They shed 1.2
percent by mid-session trade on Tuesday.
Farmers blocked motorways with their tractors for a fourth week
on Tuesday, obstructed traffic at a few crossings on the
country's northern borders with Bulgaria and Turkey and were due
to shift their action to central Athens on Feb. 12.
Gerovasili said the government wanted "an open and sincere
dialogue" with them to find the best possible solutions.
(Reporting by Michele Kambas and Lefteris Papadimas, Writing by
Angeliki Koutantou)
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