Greece delays list of reform commitments
February 23, 2015
Eurozone leaders are to hold a conference call on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the list of reform commitments being drawn up by the government in Greece.
The list had been expected before midnight on Monday following last Friday's outline agreement to extend Greece's loan deal with the Eurogroup. But a government official in Greece said the list is to be sent early Tuesday, extending the deadline by a few hours.
The government official spoke to the AP news agency on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to comment to news media. He said the list would be discussed by Eurozone finance ministers later in the day by telephone.
The official gave no reason for the delay, but said that the Eurogroup had agreed.
The government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras negotiated a deal in Brussels on Friday to win the four-month financial lifeline after its bailout expires on February 28. However, the deal depends on the Eurogroup approving the reforms that Athens intends to make.
The list is to include measures to tackle Greece's "humanitarian crisis," regulate tax arrears and bad loans, and end the foreclosure of primary homes, the official said. It will also include reforms to tackle tax evasion and corruption, fight fuel and tobacco smuggling, restructure the public sector and reduce bureaucracy.
The reforms aim to raise revenue in ways favored by Tsipras's leftist Syriza party. Government spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis said of the commitments: "The list will include a series of reforms that the Greek government will propose - and I underline that."
"Above all, they will be socially just reforms that aim to fight tax evasion, to fight corruption," Sakellaridis said on television.
Germany is the biggest contributor to Greece's two bailouts totaling 240 billion euros. The country's negotiators have said any extra spending on Athens' list of reforms has to be offset by savings or higher taxes.
jm/gsw (Reuters, AP, dpa)