MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The biggest issues of Greek bailout program have been resolved in talks with international inspectors, local media reported on Thursday, citing government sources.
"We have solved the seven or eight major issues and a few scattered matters remain pending," an anonymous government official said, as quoted by the Kathimerini newspaper, adding that the issues that remain include economic reforms opposed by the country’s government but insisted upon by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
According to the media, Greek officials and international inspectors are hoping to resolve the remaining issues over the weekend to start drafting a bill which would lay out the new economic measures, including further pensions cuts and tax base expansion.
In July 2015, Greece signed a deal for a third bailout package worth 86 billion euros ($93 billion) in exchange for austerity reforms that include pension cuts and tax hikes. The list of lenders includes the European Central Bank (ECB), the IMF and several Eurozone nations.
A number of tranches were unlocked in 2016 following a successful Eurogroup review of Greece's fiscal and labor market reforms, but further disbursements depend on the stalling current — second — review by eurozone finance ministers.
