There is optimism in Brussels that an agreement between the Eurozone and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on debt relief for Greece could be imminent, according to Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) sources. The hoped-for breakthrough is expected ahead of crucial talks on Greece that are to take place on Thursday, on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meeting in Washington.
According to the ANA sources, the IMF medium-term forecasts for the Greek economy released on Tuesday were particularly well received, since they show greater convergence with those of Europe. In addition, European officials appear convinced of the IMF’s intentions to activate its provisional programme for Greece before the European section of the programme has ended. They note, however, that this will become apparent over the next few days, during meetings between all the actors in Washington.
Particular importance is attached to the so-called “Washington Group” meeting – the finance ministers of the largest Eurozone economies (Germany, France, Italy, Spain) with representatives of the European institutions (European Commission, ECB, ESM) and the heads of the IMF – scheduled to take place on Friday.
Official sources noted that the intentions of the new German government will also become clear at this discussion, while other significant meetings on the issue of Greece will take place over the next three days in Washington, so that a preliminary IMF-Eurozone deal on Greek debt is in place before the Eurogroup in Sofia next Friday, leading to the activation of the IMF programme for Greece.
