According to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, the Greek government is working closely with the EU to boost competitiveness.
After his meeting on Thursday with visiting European Economy & Finance Commissioner Pierre Moscovici at the Maximos mansion, Tsipas said, "We are in close cooperation with the European Commission in order to strengthen the competitiveness of the Greek economy.” Tsipras noted that Moscovici is visiting Greece at a very important moment for the Greek economy when the Greek bonds are doing very well, standing at the 2002 and 2003 levels. "So, it is a very important sign that Greece is on very good courses and I believe that after our discussions we will have a positive result in the next Eurogroup meeting," underlined Tsipras.
"I am positive that we will complete the last steps, and it is very feasible; I am optimistic it will happen," said Moscovici.
Both Tsipras and Moscovici noted that Greece is really going in the right direction and expressed their optimism and certainty over the completion of the last steps that will lead to a positive result at the Eurogroup meeting on March 11, with the disbursement of the remaining one-billion-euro installment. This will send a sound message to the market on Greece's credibility as a country in which investors can trust and contribute to its growth and creation of new jobs.
On his part, visiting European Economy and Finance Commissioner Pierre Moscovici cited the European Commission's report issued on Wednesday and said that Greece is making "excellent progress" in the field of reforms, in statements following his meeting with Tsipras.
Moscovici also referred to two outstanding issues, the sale of PPC's lignite units and the protection of families' first residence from foreclosure, adding that "we are in the right direction".
The Commissioner pointed out Greek authorities' "strong commitment" to cooperate and explained that this cooperation is not a "disguised memorandum, in no case is it a memorandum."
Concluding, Moscovici said that both sides are ready to complete the next steps.
*Source: AMNA