Wed Apr 20, 2016 11:27am EDT Related: WORLD, GREECE, CAMPAIGN FINANCE
BRUSSELS/ATHENS | BY FRANCESCO GUARASCIO AND RENEE MALTEZOU
Reuters
Euro zone finance ministers are ready to hold an extraordinary meeting next week if negotiations on the review of the Greek reform program are concluded, a senior EU official said on Wednesday, commenting that talks remained difficult.
Discussions between Greek authorities and international lenders have resumed this week in Athens with the aim to conclude a reform review which is a condition to release more bailout money to Greece.
"Ό,τι η ψυχή επιθυμεί, αυτό και πιστεύει." Δημοσθένης (Whatever the soul wishes, thats what it believes, Demosthenes)
Showing posts with label IMF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IMF. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Greek Minister Reaches Out to Lagarde as Bailout Talks Drag
Theophilos Argitis
theoargitis
Rainer Buergin
RB1atBBG
April 17, 2016 — 1:54 AM EEST Updated on April 17, 2016 — 6:04 AM EEST
Greece’s finance minister arranged a last-minute follow-up meeting with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde before returning to Athens from a gathering of global policy makers in Washington, as the nation seeks to unlock more bailout funds from creditors.
The creditors are considering proposing additional austerity measures that would kick in if the nation missed budget targets, according to a European official familiar with the talks who asked not to be identified. The potential plan is part of efforts to conclude the current round of talks with Greece amid differences between Europe and the IMF, which is reviewing whether to join the latest program and is skeptical that Greece will be able to achieve the fiscal goals.
theoargitis
Rainer Buergin
RB1atBBG
April 17, 2016 — 1:54 AM EEST Updated on April 17, 2016 — 6:04 AM EEST
Greece’s finance minister arranged a last-minute follow-up meeting with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde before returning to Athens from a gathering of global policy makers in Washington, as the nation seeks to unlock more bailout funds from creditors.
The creditors are considering proposing additional austerity measures that would kick in if the nation missed budget targets, according to a European official familiar with the talks who asked not to be identified. The potential plan is part of efforts to conclude the current round of talks with Greece amid differences between Europe and the IMF, which is reviewing whether to join the latest program and is skeptical that Greece will be able to achieve the fiscal goals.
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Greece's Path to New IMF Loan Grows Even Rockier Following Leak
Andrew Mayeda
April 5, 2016 — 12:00 AM EEST
Bloomberg
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras may be alienating the International Monetary Fund just when he needs it most.
The IMF has questioned whether the goal of reaching a fiscal surplus of 3.5 percent of gross domestic product, agreed to in last year’s euro-area bailout of Greece, is realistic. In the transcript of a conference call published by WikiLeaks on Saturday, the fund’s European Department director, Poul Thomsen, suggests the IMF would accept a revised goal of 1.5 percent. Thomsen has said euro-area countries would have to offer more debt relief if the target is loosened.
April 5, 2016 — 12:00 AM EEST
Bloomberg
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras may be alienating the International Monetary Fund just when he needs it most.
The IMF has questioned whether the goal of reaching a fiscal surplus of 3.5 percent of gross domestic product, agreed to in last year’s euro-area bailout of Greece, is realistic. In the transcript of a conference call published by WikiLeaks on Saturday, the fund’s European Department director, Poul Thomsen, suggests the IMF would accept a revised goal of 1.5 percent. Thomsen has said euro-area countries would have to offer more debt relief if the target is loosened.
Monday, April 4, 2016
IMF Tries To Put Out Fire From Bombshell Greece Leak, But Doesn’t Apologize
Speculation that the IMF would pressure Greece to negotiate is “nonsense,” says a letter rife with thinly veiled criticism.
04/03/2016 05:33 pm ET | Updated 14 hours ago
The Huffington Post
Daniel Marans
Reporter, Huffington Post
The International Monetary Fund’s managing director told Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras on Sunday that the IMF remains committed to good faith negotiations, trying to assuage concerns raised by a Saturday leak.
Christine Lagarde dismissed the possibility the IMF would use underhanded tactics to pressure Greece in the letter, which was also posted on the IMF’s website.
The Huffington Post first reported on Saturday that Tsipras had asked Lagarde whether Greece could “trust” the IMF in light of leaked remarks by IMF officials suggesting that a crisis-inducing “event” was necessary to get Greece to comply with IMF austerity requests.
“Of course, any speculation that IMF staff would consider using a credit event as a negotiating tactic is simply nonsense,” Lagarde wrote Sunday.
04/03/2016 05:33 pm ET | Updated 14 hours ago
The Huffington Post
Daniel Marans
Reporter, Huffington Post
The International Monetary Fund’s managing director told Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras on Sunday that the IMF remains committed to good faith negotiations, trying to assuage concerns raised by a Saturday leak.
Christine Lagarde dismissed the possibility the IMF would use underhanded tactics to pressure Greece in the letter, which was also posted on the IMF’s website.
The Huffington Post first reported on Saturday that Tsipras had asked Lagarde whether Greece could “trust” the IMF in light of leaked remarks by IMF officials suggesting that a crisis-inducing “event” was necessary to get Greece to comply with IMF austerity requests.
“Of course, any speculation that IMF staff would consider using a credit event as a negotiating tactic is simply nonsense,” Lagarde wrote Sunday.
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Greece demands IMF explanation over leaked debt transcript
Sun Apr 3, 2016 8:28am EDT Related: GREECE, IMF
ATHENS | BY LEFTERIS PAPADIMAS
Reuters
Greece demanded an explanation from the International Monetary Fund after an apparent leaked transcript suggested the IMF may threaten to pull out of the country's bailout as a tactic to force European lenders to offer more debt relief.
EU/IMF lenders will resume talks on Greece's fiscal and reform progress in Athens on Monday, aiming to conclude a bailout review that will unlock further loans and pave the way for negotiations on long-desired debt restructuring.
The review has been adjourned twice since January due to a rift among the lenders over the estimated size of Greece's fiscal gap by 2018, as well as disagreements with Athens on pension reforms and the management of bad loans.
ATHENS | BY LEFTERIS PAPADIMAS
Reuters
Greece demanded an explanation from the International Monetary Fund after an apparent leaked transcript suggested the IMF may threaten to pull out of the country's bailout as a tactic to force European lenders to offer more debt relief.
EU/IMF lenders will resume talks on Greece's fiscal and reform progress in Athens on Monday, aiming to conclude a bailout review that will unlock further loans and pave the way for negotiations on long-desired debt restructuring.
The review has been adjourned twice since January due to a rift among the lenders over the estimated size of Greece's fiscal gap by 2018, as well as disagreements with Athens on pension reforms and the management of bad loans.
Saturday, April 2, 2016
After WikiLeaks Revelation, Greece Asks I.M.F. to Clarify Bailout Plan
By LIZ ALDERMANAPRIL 2, 2016
The New York Times
Greece called on the International Monetary Fund on Saturday to explain whether it was seeking to usher Athens toward bankruptcy ahead of a pivotal referendum in June on Britain’s membership in Europe. Greece’s comments came after I.M.F. officials raised questions in a private discussion published by WikiLeaks about what it would take to get Greece’s creditors to agree to debt relief.
The transcript, which captures what WikiLeaks said was a teleconference conversation in March between Poul Thomsen, the head of the I.M.F.’s European operations, and the I.M.F.’s Greek bailout monitor, underscored a widening rift between the I.M.F. and Greece’s European creditors that could jeopardize Greece’s new 86 billion euro bailout. It also exposed the fraught behind-the-scenes political machinations that have led to a deadlock on how to deal with a country still regarded as Europe’s weakest link.
The New York Times
Greece called on the International Monetary Fund on Saturday to explain whether it was seeking to usher Athens toward bankruptcy ahead of a pivotal referendum in June on Britain’s membership in Europe. Greece’s comments came after I.M.F. officials raised questions in a private discussion published by WikiLeaks about what it would take to get Greece’s creditors to agree to debt relief.
The transcript, which captures what WikiLeaks said was a teleconference conversation in March between Poul Thomsen, the head of the I.M.F.’s European operations, and the I.M.F.’s Greek bailout monitor, underscored a widening rift between the I.M.F. and Greece’s European creditors that could jeopardize Greece’s new 86 billion euro bailout. It also exposed the fraught behind-the-scenes political machinations that have led to a deadlock on how to deal with a country still regarded as Europe’s weakest link.
Labels:
Greek Crisis,
Grexit,
IMF,
SYRIZA,
Third Memorandum
Thursday, June 18, 2015
What Happens if Greece Misses Payments?
The Wall
Street Journal
7:05 pm ET
Jun 15,
2015
By MATTHEW DALTON and GABRIELE STEINHAUSER
With little
sign of progress in talks on Greece ’s
international bailout, some European policy makers are considering whether Athens could default but
stay in the eurozone. The whole situation is fraught with unknowns, however.
Here are some of the complications:
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Greece Completes Latest IMF Loan Repayment
Country
drew on its holdings of an International Monetary Fund reserve currency
The Wall
Street Journal
By MARCUS
WALKER and STELIOS BOURAS
Updated May
12, 2015 2:13 p.m. ET
23 COMMENTS
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Greece Moves to Pay Debt, but European Finance Ministers Unsatisfied
By LIZ
ALDERMAN and JAMES KANTERMAY 11, 2015
New York
Times
BRUSSELS —
The government of Greece, quickly running out of cash, moved on Monday to quell
fears of an imminent default on its debts, authorizing its treasury to make a
big loan payment to the International Monetary Fund.
While Athens once again managed to pull together enough cash to
avoid a default, it is not clear how much longer Greece can continue to scrape by.
Friday, April 17, 2015
IMF's Lagarde To Greece; Pay Us Or Else
APR 17, 2015 @ 11:44 AM 1,865 VIEWS
Opinion
FORBES
Tim
Worstall
CONTRIBUTOR
It’s long
been true that welshing on debts to the International Monetary fund is just
something that a civilised country just doesn’t do. Thus there’s little
surprise when Christine Lagarde, the head of the IMF, points out to Greece that
there’s really no mileage in that country thinking about not paying the IMF
back the money it’s owed. Because, you know, that’s just not something that
civilised countries do.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Greece's debt crunch
The
Economist
Sorry, no
extensions
The IMF
turns down a Greek request to postpone next month's payments
Apr 16th 2015 | Europe
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Greece Faces Cash Crunch as IMF Payments Come Due
New Greek
government stands little chance of receiving help from eurozone soon
The Wall
Street Journal
By MATTHEW
DALTON and VIKTORIA DENDRINOU
March 2,
2015 4:37 p.m. ET
Though the
Greek government secured an extension of its bailout program last week, that
doesn’t give Athens
access to cash pledged to it from the eurozone and the International Monetary
Fund. To unlock that money, it will need to agree on a revised program of
austerity measures and economic overhauls with its creditors, and pass them
into law.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Greece Stirs Doubt on Debt Owed IMF
Cash-Strapped
Athens Suggests
It Might Be Short on Some March Payments
By IAN
TALLEY And ALKMAN GRANITSAS
Feb. 27,
2015 7:33 p.m. ET
32 COMMENTS
Friday, November 21, 2014
Give Greece a Chance
8 NOV 21,
2014 12:02 AM EST
By The Editors
Bloomberg
The
European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary
Fund have told the government of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to cut the country's
debt burden, the biggest in the euro area, by reducing public spending even
further. In return, they propose a last injection of bailout money and an
emergency credit line.
Monday, November 4, 2013
After Delay, Lenders Set To Visit Greece for Audit
November 3,
2013
REUTERS
BRUSSELS —
Inspectors from Greece’s international lenders have put a postponed visit to
the country back on the agenda and will return early this week after Athens
made a new proposal on filling a gap of 2 billion euros in the 2014 budget, the
European Commission has said.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Greece says can't take any more austerity, will not be 'blackmailed'
By George
Georgiopoulos
(Reuters) -
Greece 's president used an
annual commemoration of the country's stand against fascism in World War Two on
Monday to warn that Athens
would not yield to pressure from foreign lenders to impose more austerity.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Greece expects decision on 2014 funding gap in December
By Lefteris
Papadimas
(Reuters) -
Greece expects its foreign lenders to agree in December on how to plug a
funding gap the country faces next year, its finance minister said on
Wednesday, while a decision on how to cut its debt will come several months
later.
Twice-bailed
out Greece
first sought a financial rescue from the European Union and International
Monetary Fund in 2010 and has since been kept afloat with over 200 billion
euros in aid.
Labels:
Austerity measures,
Debt crisis,
Euro,
Greek Crisis,
IMF
Friday, August 2, 2013
The IMF's blunt assessment
Aug 1st
2013, 14:09 by K.H. | ATHENS
Charlemagne
European
politics
The
Economist
WITH Greece
enjoying the best year for tourism since its six-year recession began, it has
become easier to believe in official forecasts of a mild recovery next year.
But the green shoots of optimism may soon fade if European leaders are
unwilling to plug a widening gap in bailout funding for Athens over the next two years and help make
its debt burden sustainable by writing off a chunk of bail-out loans.
Lagarde counting on Europeans to keep promises toward Greece
The Washington Post
By Katerina
Sokou, Friday, August 2, 4:18 PM
Christine
Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund, said Thursday that she
counted on euro-zone countries to support the Greek effort to bring down its
debt to sustainable levels.
Talking to
reporters in Washington , Lagarde said the
Europeans have promised to “consider any additional measures and assistance
needed” as long as that Greece
delivers on its commitments.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
UPDATE 1-IMF approves $2.3 billion aid for Greece
Mon Jul 29,
2013 4:40pm EDT
(Reuters) -
The International Monetary Fund on Monday approved a further 1.7 billion euros
($2.3 billion) in funds for Greece 's
bailout program after completing the fourth review of the cash-strapped euro
zone state.
Labels:
Greek Crisis,
IMF,
Privatizations,
Structural Reforms
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