ATHENS: New Greek Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras warned on Thursday that the country's recovery was "off-track" and Greece faced "difficult years ahead" as sensitive talks with EU-IMF creditors began.
Stournaras spoke just after the first meeting between EU-IMF auditors and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who is eager to press the government's case that Greece needs an urgent reprieve from austerity measures demanded in return for the country's second rescue package.
The officials from the EU, International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank are in Athens to monitor Greece's progress in the implementation of the reforms agreed in return for the bailout agreed in March.
A finance ministry source told the these were introductory talks and the "negotiation will take place later." Samaras, his office said, told auditors that his administration was "determined to proceed with greater efficiency on fiscal adjustment and speed up structural reforms."
But his new finance minister, sworn in earlier on Thursday, warned the road ahead would be difficult. "The programme is in fact off-track in certain areas," Stournaras told reporters.
"Difficult years lie ahead, I see light at the end of the tunnel but patience is required," he added.
Stournaras, who officially assumed his duties earlier on Thursday, said he had been warned by auditors to expect a grilling at a meeting with eurozone finance ministers next week.
indiatimes.com
Stournaras spoke just after the first meeting between EU-IMF auditors and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who is eager to press the government's case that Greece needs an urgent reprieve from austerity measures demanded in return for the country's second rescue package.
The officials from the EU, International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank are in Athens to monitor Greece's progress in the implementation of the reforms agreed in return for the bailout agreed in March.
A finance ministry source told the these were introductory talks and the "negotiation will take place later." Samaras, his office said, told auditors that his administration was "determined to proceed with greater efficiency on fiscal adjustment and speed up structural reforms."
But his new finance minister, sworn in earlier on Thursday, warned the road ahead would be difficult. "The programme is in fact off-track in certain areas," Stournaras told reporters.
"Difficult years lie ahead, I see light at the end of the tunnel but patience is required," he added.
Stournaras, who officially assumed his duties earlier on Thursday, said he had been warned by auditors to expect a grilling at a meeting with eurozone finance ministers next week.
indiatimes.com
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