Calamos Supports Greece
GreekReporter.comGreecePolitical Leaders Meeting On Loan Deal Begins

Political Leaders Meeting On Loan Deal Begins

A crucial meeting between Greece’s political leaders on terms demanded by international creditors in exchange for further financial assistance started Sunday in Athens.
Leaders from the Socialists, conservative New Democracy, and small nationalist party Laos arrived at the office of Prime Minister Lucas Papademos in a bid to find common ground on the terms of a second bailout required to prevent Greece from defaulting on its debts.
So far, creditor demands on private-sector wage cuts and further budget spending cuts remain unresolved, while an agreement has been reached on how to recapitalize local lenders and the country’s privatization agenda.
Earlier, representatives of the so-called ‘troika’ — the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund — had met for just over an hour with Papademos. Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos and Labor Minister Giorgos Koutroumanis were also present.
At stake is a new 130 billion euro ($171 billion) bailout deal without which Greece will default before the end of March.
Papademos had floated the idea of the party leaders joining him in talks with troika representatives to argue the case for a different set of measures with equivalent fiscal results. Giorgos Karatzaferis, leader of the populist right Popular Orthodox Rally party refused.
“I will go (to the Prime Minister’s office) when the guests have gone,” Karatzaferis said.
It is not known how socialist leader George Papandreou — whom Papademos replaced as Prime Minister in November — and conservative leader Antonis Samaras responded. But they all arrived at Papademos’ office after the troika had left.
(source: AP, DJ)

See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!



Related Posts