Top European officials have voiced their growing impatience over stalled negotiations between Greece and its bailout creditors. Speaking after a meeting in Brussels, several Eurogroup finance ministers said they have called on Athens to step up efforts to meet agreed-upon reform and privatization targets.
Greece must reach an agreement with its international bailout creditors to get the next instalment of its 240 billion euro emergency loan package. It needs the next payment to avoid default in May, when it has to pay back bonds worth around 10 billion euros.
The negotiations between Greece and the so-called troika of creditors are months behind schedule amid disagreements over cost-cutting measures and reforms. And the Dutch Finance Minister who chairs the Eurogroup warned it won’t approve paying out the next bailout loans unless there is a final agreement with the troika.