The Dow Jones news agency reported on Tuesday that Athens expected to receive the aid package in June and that it would cover Greece's projected need of €27 billion in extra funds in 2012 and 32 billion in 2013.

However, a Finance Ministry official denied this was the case. "Greece is not holding any discussion on any new aid package," a senior finance ministry official who requested anonymity told Reuters. "Such reports about discussions on new aid are not true."

However, it is thought that giving further loans to Greece was one of the topics discussed at a meeting of several EU finance ministers in Luxemburg on Friday. Greece’s Giorgos Papaconstantinou took part in the talks.

Officials from the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, collectively known as the troika, are due in Athens from Tuesday to check on Greece’s progress with its fiscal targets.

The government’s difficulties in meeting these targets is expected to lead to further discussions about Greece possibly needing a new loan agreement to provide it with up to €100 billion over the next three years. Athens has already received €30 billion from its initial €110 billion loan agreement.

Press release