Moscovici: Cooperation with Greek authorities is continuing on 2nd reform package

Gazzetta team
Moscovici: Cooperation with Greek authorities is continuing on 2nd reform package
Greek authorities and the institutions are cooperating well on the completion of the second package of prior actions required by the country’s lenders, Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said as he arrived for the Eurogroup meeting in Brussels on Monday.

Commenting on the recapitalization of Greece’s systemic banks, he said it is proceeding well and that he hoped all sides can proceed with the completion of the second batch of reforms. On the same issue, he said there’s no agreement yet between the two sides, but that there’s a spirit of cooperation.

Concerning today’s Eurogroup, the Commissioner said Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos is expected to make a presentation on the state of play on these negotiations, while he noted that the vote of the 2016 budget from the Greek parliament which was based on "more favorable or less adverse estimations" is a "good development”.

He noted however that work still remains to be done to complete the agreement on the reforms which will complete the first Greek program review.

In an earlier tweet Moscovici said he had had “constructive discussions” with Greek Labour Minister George Katrougalos on issues of pension and labour market reforms in Greece. Katrougalos is in Brussels to attend a meeting of EU’s employment council.

A well-informed source also said on Monday that Tsakalotos had a meeting with ECB head Mario Draghi.