Prime
Minister Antonis Samaras on Tuesday flatly dismissed persistent speculation and
reiterated that a pending bailout tranche allocated by the country's EC-ECB-IMF
creditors will be disbursed without hindrance, while he also appeared certain
that more funding will be available than originally planned.
"Greece is already at the next day ... Greece's sacrifices were fully recognised at yesterday's (Monday) Eurogroup (meeting), where the last expediencies were eliminated. An extension (of the period to meet fiscal targets) was officially announced, while the issue of an escrow account was also overcome," Samaras told reporters here, adding:
"Whatever (details) remain are few, of a
technical nature, which deal with the execution of what has already been agreed
to, and which will conclude once and for all in the next few days. The loan
installment is expected to be disbursed normally, after a difference in
approach between Europe and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) -- over the issue of the Greek debt's sustainability -- is
solved."
Samaras was speaking to reporters after talks with
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman van Rompuy.
The Greek premier, in fact, again said that the goal is to receive more than the 31 billion euros earmarked for the country's borrowing needs in the next tranche.
"We're now in the next phase; we're now seeking resources for growth ... I am returning to Greece even more optimistic for the next day," he said.
The prime minister is in Brussels to attend a Friends of Cohesion Group meeting on the next National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF).
November 14, 2012
