14 December 2013

Kathimerini: Samaras aims for decision on debt relief in April

Greek PM Samaras said Athens would 'insist' that a decision on further debt relief for Greece be taken in April and not delayed until after May's EP elections. Greece is close to reaching an agreement with the EU/IMF/ECB for the release of the next tranche of funds.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras aims to lead his government into May’s local and European Parliament elections with a decision from Greece’s lenders on further debt relief and with no intention of calling early national elections. In an interview with Sunday’s Kathimerini, he made it clear that Athens believes its eurozone partners will keep to their word and come up with a new debt relief package in April, when the European Commission’s statistical agency, Eurostat, is due to confirm whether Greece achieved a primary budget surplus in 2013.

Samaras said Athens would “insist” that a decision on further debt relief is taken in the spring rather than being delayed until after May’s European elections. “What method is chosen to lighten our debt load can be chosen immediately afterward. But this outstanding issue has to be resolved in the spring. I believe our partners accept this.” The Greek prime minister insisted, however, that he would not sign a third bailout agreement in order to secure a new debt reduction.

Despite mounting speculation that general elections might be added to the local and European Parliament polls due to take place on May 18 and 25, Samaras ruled out a snap national vote and said the coalition aims to see out its full four-year term. He was confident that his government, despite being down to 154 MPs, would not have problems surviving until 2016.

Samaras also played down SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras’s ability to bring down the government. "The problem Mr Tsipras has is that for him to come closer to governing, he has to turn his back on populism and become more responsible", said the prime minister. "If he tried to do that, though, he’d lose his party, which is the epitome of populism and irresponsibility".

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Meanwhile talks between the troika and the Greek government continued over the weekend, with the two sides believed to be very close to an agreement on the future of Hellenic Defence Systems (EAS), the last "prior action" needed to secure the next bailout sub-tranche of €1 billion.

"I think we will soon have an agreement", Prime Minister Antonis Samaras told Sunday’s Kathimerini. "EAS will have to be limited to the useful and effective units and the absolutely necessary personnel. It will also have to retain their production capacity, competitive qualities and export orientation. We can build a modern defence industry on this basis".

Sources told Kathimerini that Greece’s eurozone partners are showing some flexibility on the issue as they do not wish to delay the release of the €1 billion much longer to ensure that Athens does not have any difficulties making payments in the weeks to come, especially as a €1.85 billion bond matures on January 11.

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© Kathimerini