Greece PM wants deal with creditors after Aug. 15
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipres says his country “can and must” reach a deal with its international lenders over a multi-billion-euro bailout after August 15.
Tsipras’ office issued a statement on Thursday after he held a meeting with French President Francois Hollande, saying that the two leaders have “agreed” that the bailout negotiations “can and must be concluded immediately after August 15.”
Tsipras and Hollande met in the Egyptian town of Ismailia on the sidelines of an inauguration ceremony for a new Suez Canal waterway.
Athens must reach a deal with the so-called troika of international creditors - the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Central Bank (ECB), and the European Commission - by August 20 to unlock funds worth 85 billion euros (USD 92.5 billion), in order to repay over three billion euros (USD 3.27 billion) to the ECB.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has also suggested that reaching a deal before August 20 is possible.
On Wednesday, the Greek prime minister said his government is in the final stage of sealing the deal with the international lenders.
He underscored that arriving at an agreement could end the uncertainty “on the future of Greece” in the eurozone.
The Greek premier agreed last month to harsh measures, including tax and pension reforms, in exchange for the bailout agreement, despite opposition by the Greek people.
Athens recently received a short-term loan of 7.16 billion euros (USD 7.77 billion) from the European partners in return for reforms, which allowed the cash-strapped country to repay about two billion euros (USD 2.2 billion) of its debt to the IMF.
Greece has received two bailout packages worth a total of 240 billion euros (USD 272 billion) over the past five years.
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