Greece, creditors stepping up talks as debt deadline looms

The Washington Post

By Associated Press March 20
BRUSSELS — Greece and its international creditors are stepping up talks on issues holding up the release of more loans to keep the country’s debt-wracked economy afloat.

Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem said finance ministers from the 19 nations that used the shared euro currency agreed Monday on more talks “intensified in the coming days here in Brussels.”



He said the aim is to “clear those last big issues out of the way,” including tax, pension and labor market reforms.

It’s hoped the problems can be resolved by the next Eurogroup meeting on April 7, but Dijsselbloem said “there is no promise that all the work will be done by then.”

Greece must pay around 7 billion euros ($7.4 billion) in July and without more loans it faces a potential exit from the euro.

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