Athens failed to present reform plan: Juncker
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker says he has not received a list of alternative reforms from Greece, after the debt-ridden country rejected demands by international creditors.
Speaking at a Group of Seven (G7) summit in Germany on Sunday, the European Commission president said he was still waiting for an alternative proposal from Athens aimed at ending its current debt crisis.
"[Greek Prime Minister] Alexis Tsipras, my friend, had promised that by Thursday evening, he would present a second alternative proposal... I have never received this alternative proposal," Juncker said.
The remarks by Juncker came just days after the premier of the leftist government in Greece slammed demands by its creditors, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Union (EU), and the European Central Bank (ECB), as “absurd.”
He added that there were “points that no one would consider as a base for discussion," insisting, instead, on his own “realistic” reform plan. Reports last week indicated that Greece had produced a 47-page reform plan of its own.
The latest reaction from Juncker comes a day after he rejected a request by Tsipras for a telephone conversation, saying he would prefer to "see a Greek alternative proposal."
Greece has been engaged in months of negotiations with its creditors aimed at unlocking the last €7.2 billion (USD 7.8 billion) tranche of its bailout deal.
Greece has proposed a budget surplus of 0.8 percent for 2015 and 1.5 percent for next year. However, reports say lenders want a budget surplus of one percent for this year and two percent for 2016.
On June 5, Greece missed a deadline for one of its debt payments worth 300 million euros (USD 340 million). Instead, Athens combined four of its upcoming payments due to the IMF, vowing to make the payment by June 30.
SZH/HMV/SS
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