The meeting was also attended by Finance Minister Gikas Hardouvelis, Labour Minister Yiannis Vroutsis, Administration and eGovernance Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Deputy Finance Minister George Mavraganis, AMNA reports.

Exiting the Maximos Mansion Hardouvelis said he briefed the two political leaders on the negotiations in Paris. “It went well. We had progress. We did not close the issues. We continue,” he said, while regarding the possible extension of the current programme he said: “there could be one for a very short period of time for technical reasons.”

The government appears certain that there will be an agreement with the troika by the end of the year. A source close to the Prime Minister stated that “those who invest in catastrophe will be disappointed as there was no wreck or destruction in Paris.”

Negotiations with the troika will continue via teleconference calls in the coming days.

Most of the haggling has been over a projected fiscal gap in the 2015 budget, protothema.gr notes. Failure to strike a deal by the December 8 deadline means that the Greek government won’t be able to keep its pledge of quitting its bailout programme by the end of 2014.

The main issues of discontent are:

- A Finance ministry official pinpointed the “number one” issue being the fiscal gap for 2015. A Greek official said that “the timetable is very tight.” Meanwhile, a European source said that the troika would like to see the new law for debt settlement in 100 installments to be scrapped altogether.

- The troika is not satisfied with structural changes in social security thus far and is seeking to see pensions immediately reduced. They also want the pension age to be lifted but believe that this should be done gradually over a five-year period.

- Troika wants businesses to be excluded from the recent law that allows for debt settlement in up to 100 installments.

- Troika believes that there should be a common salary chart for the public sector or, at the very least, a reduction of “extra” bonuses and overtime.

- International creditors are seeking to have VAT rates increase and for VAT exemptions on some islands to no longer apply. They want the reduced 6.5% and 14% VAT rates for items that are considered basic needs to be lifted.

- The troika would like to see Greek labour law to include mass dismissals and changes to the way decisions for strike action are structured as well as changes to the law on unions.

Sources said that discussions with the troika had not resulted in a date being set for the return of troika’s representatives to Athens for a review prior to the Eurogroup meeting on December 8. Nonetheless, the extension of the bailout has yet to be discussed.

The markets have been negative concerning Greece’s early exit from the program with Greek government bonds having slumped and Greece’s 10-year bond close to 8%.

The situation in Syria

“Our country, like all the EU member states, without exception, expressed from the outset a position that emphasizes two major, central points, which are firm aspects of our policy.

The first is the unequivocal, clear and absolute condemnation of the use of chemical weapons, condemnation of any attempt to hinder the work of the UN experts. The need for there to be a clear response from the international community; a response that will prevent any repetition of the use of chemical weapons, which is a heinous crime, a crime against international law, against humanity, which, of course, creates the need for specific perpetrators to answer to international criminal justice.

The second point of the Greek stance is that, whatever the case, the political process must be safeguarded, and that the solution in Syria can come only through the Geneva II process.

In all our statements we have said and continue to say that Greece will honor its obligations, first, as a member state of the UN – thus we believe in the need for the UN processes – second, as a member state of the EU and NATO, and third, of course, we do not ignore the obligations deriving from bilateral agreements that are in force with various countries on security and defence issues.

In Vilnius, at the informal Council of Foreign Ministers, the EU expressed – with great delay, it is true – its agreed position on this issue. It was expressed by Lady Ashton following in-depth consultation with all the Ministers, and this common position is exactly what Greece had said from the very outset. What we have said is also the EU’s stance.

The new element, the element, that the international community, including the EU, was waiting for was the Russian initiative with regard to the Assad regime’s “willingness” to put its chemical arsenal under international control, to accept the collection, removal and destruction of its chemical arsenal.

We believe that this process can produce results. That is, that this initiative can truly succeed if there is a willingness to de-escalate. And for this initiative to succeed it must take on specific physical form; that is, the turning over and destruction of the chemical weapons, and secondly it must lead to unconditional participation in Geneva II by all parties, including the Assad regime, so that a mutually acceptable and broadly mandated transitional solution can be found. With the “pending” issue of those who are physically and morally responsible being brought before international criminal justice.

In Syria, Greece needs to follow a policy of principles, and this is what we have done from the outset. A policy based on respect for international law, the need to defend human rights. We cannot close our eyes to abhorrent actions that are a crime against humanity. The core of our policy must be international legality, the role of the UN, the role of the Security Council; we must respect our obligations as a member state of the EU and NATO.

There is a protective network for Greek citizens in Syria, through the honorary Consulates, in collaboration with the EU, if evacuation should be needed. There is ongoing notification, which, in the end, however, concerns a few dozen interested parties – an impressively small number of interested parties – and naturally there are all the preparations with the co-competent Ministries of National Defence, Public Order, Merchant Marine, Health, Interior regarding a possible wave of refugees from Syria reaching Greece, but in a second stage. Because the countries land borders are receiving the great bulk: Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt via Sinai to a great extent.

As such, I think that this preparation will pay off, and we have already asked the competent Commissioners – many competent Commissioners are involved under Georgieva, who is dealing with the humanitarian aid, in order to fund our actions on migration and health issues, should the need arise. This is the picture with regard to Syria.”

Developments in Egypt

“Egypt is decisive for Greece with regard to the Eastern Mediterranean. Bilaterally and on the level of the EU, we initially saw the changes that took place after 30 June in Egypt as a continuation of the transitional period that started in 2011, with the fall of the Mubarak regime. We perceive the situation in all its difficulties, and we think that the transitional government is making very great efforts to stabilize the country and lead it to the full functioning of democratic institutions.

I visited Cairo on 5 September, following the visit carried out by the Belgian Minister in the framework of his scheduled visit to the countries of the region, and following the visit to Cairo two days earlier by Cypriot Foreign Minister Kasoulides. This visit was of very great significance, because it was a practical show of support for the Egyptian people and of Greece’s sincere interest in Egypt’s once again finding a road to peace and prosperity.

We are linked by historical and profound ties – the Patriarch of Alexandria, the Monastery of Sinai – in a pivotal region for current developments. Mainly northern Sinai, but also southern Sinai, where the Monastery is located, the historical Greek communities in Alexandria, in Cairo, in Suez, in other cities, the new Greek economic presence in Egypt, which is very significant. Greece is the fifth largest foreign investor in Egypt. We have manufacturing units and banks. Of course, we have common interests.

I must be clear and say to you unequivocally that in the time leading up to the change of the state of affairs in Egypt there was inertia and regression in our relations, particularly on the critical issue of maritime zones and the implementation of the International Law of the Sea. It is of very great significance that – as my Egyptian counterpart and I stated publicly after our meeting – we decided to re-establish and initiate the dialogue on the level of experts on a bilateral level – with international law as our frame of reference – so that the maritime zones, the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone in the Eastern Mediterranean, can be agreed upon.

It is also very important that we reaffirmed through my visit, which followed on Mr. Kasoulides’ visit, that, beyond bilateral relations, we are prepared to move ahead to trilateral cooperation between Egypt, Greece and Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean on all the political issues, as well as on anything else that is necessary.

I had the opportunity to see the interim President of the Republic, the President of the Constitutional Court, the Prime Minister. We had in-depth talks with the Foreign Minister and the Delegation. I saw one of the candidates for President of the Republic in the elections that were carried out; that is, the head of the Al-Nour party, which is the large salafist party that got 27% in the parliamentary elections and that supports the transitional government and is also represented in the 50-member committee for drawing up the Constitution.

I think it was a very successful visit for our national interests and for the level of Greek-Egyptian relations, as well as for trilateral Egyptian-

Greek-Cypriot relations. Within the framework of my visit to Cairo, I met with the Secretary General of the Arab League, which, as you will have observed, is playing a very important role in the Syrian crisis. Because the Gulf countries and Egypt – which met on the level of Foreign Ministers with Mr. Kerry in Paris the day before yesterday – as well as the Arab League as a whole, have a very clear line with regard to the response to the use of chemical weapons and the need for unconditional participation in Geneva II for a definitive political solution in Syria.”

The Middle East peace process

“In Vilnius, the U.S. Secretary of State briefed his European colleagues in depth on the Middle East peace process. Despite the fact that the major issue is Syria, and Egypt is major current issue in the Arab view, as expressed by the Arab League, the big issue is always the conflict in the Middle East, the Israel-Palestinian relationship and the peace process, which we support and we want to see produce a plan for a two-state solution.”

Greek-Turkish issues

“On Monday, the 55th round of exploratory talks took place between Turkey and Greece – talks that started in 2002 – on issues concerning maritime zones in the Aegean. Our positions are clear. We are discussing – and I want to make this absolutely clear before the Committee – the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, we are discussing the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone. That is, all the maritime zones, as provided for by the International Law of the Sea. This is something that should have always been clear, but now it is absolutely clear, and I think it is very important and I stress it in particular. The meeting took place between the Secretary General of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Mr. Sinirlioğlu, and Ambassador Apostolidis, who is the head of the Greek delegation on these issues.”

VENIZELOS: “The Middle East, North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean are in crisis, or at least in a state of tension. These three regions are interlinked, and Greece, which is a close neighbour of this region, is monitoring the issues closely, with concern and composure, trying to play its role as a factor for stability, peace and security.

Greece is a member state of the European Union and a longstanding member of NATO. It is fully aware of where it stands internationally and, of course, what its international obligations are.

And Greece is of course also a nation that has historical relations and special interests in this region, due to the historical presence of Greek Orthodox Patriarchates, due to the presence of considerable Christian and, more specifically, Greek Orthodox populations, due to the existence of Greek communities, and due to the existence of Greek enterprises and Greek economic interests.

We are also interested in everything that happens in the Middle East, because Greece wants to function in an exemplary manner, always within the framework of international law – and more specifically the Law of the Sea – in the Eastern Mediterranean space.

…As I had the opportunity to say in previous statements, a heinous crime has been perpetrated in Syria: the use of absolutely prohibited chemical weapons. This crime is condemned by the whole of the international community, by the European Union and by Greece.

Our response on this issue is absolute, it is clear. And of course this has to be set down in a corresponding manner that produces results.

But at the same time, the political process must be safeguarded. The international community’s objective is and must remain the convening of the Geneva II Conference, which is solely capable of shaping a permanent, viable solution in Syria. Syria is a decisive country in developments in the wider region.

We are participating in all the discussions taking place in the European Union and NATO. We are in contact with all the European countries, with all the Gulf countries, with the Arab League. We are as apprised as possible. There is nothing else before us at this time, nor has any matter been raised, nor has anything more specific been requested.

We are also monitoring issues with regard to the Greek citizens who are in Syria, so that we can provide them with all possible assistance. And, naturally, we are in full coordination with not only the Defence Ministry, but also all the co-competent Ministries, within the framework of the responsibilities of each of those ministries.”

AVRAMOPOULOS: “…Our country, as a stable and stabilizing factor in the region, is always prepared to meet its international obligations… from the very first moment, Greece took a crystal clear position. It pursued and proposed the political resolution of the problem that had been created and that has now taken on tragic dimensions.

It is true that the situation in the region is particularly dangerous both for Syria itself as well as for the wider region. So I come back to what I said earlier: that our role is crystal clear, we are at the service of the international community, of international law, in keeping with our contractual obligations within the framework of the international organizations.

Mr. Venizelos and I looked at all the facets of the situation as it has taken shape, with composure, prudence and good preparation. Greece is always ready to assist in creating the conditions that will lead our wider region to an environment of safety, security, stability. And of course we always stand by the peoples of the region who are fighting for democracy.”

“The situation in Syria is extremely worrying. We have very clearly and unequivocally condemned the use of chemical weapons, which is cruel, which is a heinous crime, which obviously violates the strict rules of International Law, and thus there has to be an international response in the name of legality and in the name of human rights.

This is a stance supported by all the countries of the European Union, including Greece, naturally. At the same time, and independent of that which concerns the clear response to the issue of the use of chemical weapons, the political process needs to be safeguarded. We have to follow through with Geneva II and achieve a definitive and viable solution in the region. We too are working hard and contributing in that direction. We are making constant efforts on all levels, and that is why I am in ongoing contact with the European Union, with Lady Ashton, with my counterparts in many, many countries. And I am also combining my upcoming visit to Cairo with the issue, naturally – not just Egypt, but also with the issue of Syria and the problems of the wider region.

As Greece, we have an added and special interest in the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Saint Catherine Monastery, in Sinai – in a region that is currently in the eye of the storm – in the Greek communities in Egypt, and also in the protection of the Christian populations of Syria; all Syrian citizens, of course, but you will allow me make special reference to the Christians.”

“…So far, I have been in contact with the High Representative of the European Union, Catherine Ashton, with my French counterpart, with my Belgian counterpart, with my Cypriot counterpart, with my counterparts in many Gulf countries, because we must also monitor the stance of the Arab League and all the Arab countries of the region, who naturally have a special interest in what is happening in Syria.”

Source: MFA.gr

“There has been no agreement,” between Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos and Democratic Left leader Fotis Kouvelis on the draft bill, the same sources added, but clarified that discussion on other issues on agenda was productive.

A date for a new meeting was not set, while the source reassured that there has not been a confidence issue toward minister of Justice Antonis Roupakiotis.

Deputy Interior Minister Haralambos Athanasiou yesterday said the government’s commitment to combat racism doesn’t require new legislation but amendments to existing laws, enet.gr writes. International human rights groups have expressed strong support for the proposed reform, alarmed at a surge in racially-motivated attacks against immigrants and the rise of the Golden Dawn party.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras expressed his optimism that “things are obviously better” and predicted that the country will recover by the end of the year or early 2014. He said that at the end of 2013 or early 2014 the first signs of recovery will show, but he called for caution about the pressures for easing the programme and the impact they can have in Greece’s efforts for a debt haircut in 2014.

“We are still at the beginning”, he said, “and I am worried because I feel the pressure to ease up. What do they want? To relinquish the perspective of achieving a primary surplus this years that will allow us to negotiate a debt haircut in 2014?” The greatest pressure regard exemption of specific categories of public sector employees from the government’s unified payroll.

According to protothema.gr, yesterday evening, and after many consultations on Greek Constitution and parliamentary Standing Orders, the majority (ND, PASOK, DIMAR) decided that the process be done in one sitting with 3 separate votes -one for each proposal- and a total of 7 polls.

The coalition has proposed that only former Finance Minister Giorgos Papaconstantinou be probed in connection with the handling of the Lagarde list following the revelation by prosecutors last month that the names of three of his relatives were removed from the list, Kathimerini writes.

SYRIZA wants Papaconstantinou’s successor Evangelos Venizelos, who leads PASOK, to be investigated along with the former. And the two smaller opposition parties, Independent Greeks and the Golden Dawn want former premiers George Papandreou and Lucas Papademos to be probed too. It is expected that, for each of the votes, MPs will be given ballot papers with the names of all four politicians and the charges they would face.

The participation of MPs in all 3 votes is not mandatory, but New Democracy says “we will participate to the end. There is no question of withdrawal.”

The process is expected to will begin at 10 am and the voting is expected at 6 pm.

The political frenzy surrounding the Lagarde list affair has resulted in limiting the parliamentary discussion to the process, to increasing or decreasing the number of ballot boxes and votes and losing the actual substance which is placing the blame where blame is due, political analysts have suggested.

SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras said that “it is inconceivable that this was decided in the meeting of the three political leaders. The smooth functioning of parliament is being undermined and essentially we have a procedure that removes the secrecy of the vote. This has never happened before in the Greek parliament and reveals panic. Venizelos is self-incriminating himself by asking Samaras for protection. But at the same time he becomes his hostage.” Venizelos, on the other hand insists that “the perpetrator of this conspiracy against PASOK” is the main opposition party.

Finally, late yesterday tovima.gr wrote that SYRIZA is examining the possibility of withdrawing from the voting process if the majority insisted on its proposal for setting up seven polls.

This tactic, SYRIZA people maintain, waves the secrecy of the vote, in a way ‘protecting Mr. Venizelos, who main opposition would like to see investigated about his responsibility regarding the Lagarde list affair.

Sources told Kathimerini the three leaders agreed to closer coordination but shunned the idea of a tripartite committee, preferring to give State Minister Dimitris Stamatis the task of consulting with ND’s partners over any new legislation.

PASOK’s Evangelos Venizelos described the talks as being part of an effort to “organize a new starting point” for the country. DIMAR chief Fotis Kouvelis said that the issue of a cabinet reshuffle and a change to the electoral law had not come up during the conversation.

Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras also attended the meeting, which he labeled “crucial.” On exiting the talks, he referred to government’s efforts. “The road is difficult and uphill,” he stressed.

As the meeting was taking place, Rating agency Standard & Poor’s raised Greece’s sovereign credit rating to B-minus with a stable outlook, from selective default.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras expressed his conviction that following the recent EU decisions, Greece is entering a new period of stability and growth, and that soon it will reap the fruit of its efforts, speaking yesterday after a broad meeting at the Agricultural Development ministry.

He said after the two-hour meeting that EUR 1.1 billion would be credited immediately to the bank accounts of farmers and animal breeders, which is the outstanding second half of their reinforcement, stressing his determination for “payments on time so that these will not be news but the rule of thumb”.

“Every crisis hides opportunities, and opportunities for investments in the agricultural sector are immense. We have excellent quality products and protected origin names that deservedly earn their place in the international markets, from Greek olive oil to feta cheese, to wines and fruit,” Samaras said.

Current government coalition has been a possibility even before the votes were counted on the night of June 17. And as most analysts admit, elections were won due to fear tactics explored by old politics. Samaras, Venizelos and Kouvelis, after failing to agree in May, they got a second chance in June to form a government that should be willing to sacrifice itself to save the country.

In troika’s mind, there was only one path: to follow the Papademos’ government way. However, this was something Greek voters pledged the new government to avoid. When they heard the right-wing rhetoric built around the ‘MoU re-negotiation’ concept, they thought they did it. When Antonis Samaras promised to renegotiate the infamous Memorandum, voters saw an opportunity to combine austerity relief with the conservative, safer approach of ND. So they ditched the radical vote, doing Alexis Tsipras a favor, who, in reality, hoped to spend sometime in the opposition before getting serious with the country’s core politics.

By voting for old politics, Greeks decided to stay in familiar waters and refrain from exploring the uncertainty of the new. Besides, a 3-year austerity made people weaker, placing them closer to the indifference threshold.

Unfortunately or not, voters were spared with the technicalities. Pre-election rhetoric was based on the magic word of ‘re-negotiation’; a handful of columnists and politicians who really explained the fallacy were swamped by partisan juxtaposition. On election night, the new Prime Minister already abandoned the strong campaign word and started talking about ‘amendments’ that would be put into effect sometime during the 4-year period of governance and, most importantly, they would be received as a ‘bonus’ for playing the predetermined austerity cards right.

This is how a government can screw up political communication strategy (if any) overnight. Hardcore Samaras’ associates will probably say that communication is not that important, since what matters is real structural changes. Wrong. In times of crisis, people are disoriented. If you do not package your politics right, you are finished, especially in Greece, and particularly when you are a conservative leader running a coalition scheme supported by the socialists and the left.

From the moment the coalition is once again messing around with pensions, salaries and social benefits (namely horizontal measures) the pistol is cocked and the trigger is about to be pressed. Is people’s new disappointment enough to break a government? Probably not, but if the opposition manages to give meaningful words to social discontent, then breaking a link would be enough to unlock the administration and take it down; not noisily on the streets of Athens, but in the chambers of strategic politics.

The survival of the government depends on a really weak link held by PASOK leadership and this weak link is about to crack for a variety of reasons.

First of all, despite all the laws and measures passed in the past, most people consider the attack on household income a fresh piece of government policy. Being under the bankruptcy threat is no longer a strong argument; it was burned out during the Papandreou years.

The government’s vagueness about the new austerity measures continues the fear tactics, making things even worse. This alienates voters even further from the old political system, whose leftovers were used to form today’s government coalition. In simple terms, those who initiated fear and presented themselves as citizens’ protectors quickly failed on their promises and once more engaged fear as a tool to bail themselves out of the pressure.

When you need cash fast, is there any other alternative than cut spending from the source? Probably not, but why lie to the people? Was it the result of amateur political spinning or a failure of leadership to assess reality?

And this brings us to coalition’s inner politics. Old PASOK and Venizelos are in a down slope (sources say that a new formation is under way by key PASOK people) and Kouvelis is already experiencing an identity crisis and is in no position to play a role without the intermediary socialist link. This could crack the government in no time.

But still, a triggering event is required to make things roll that should be about the people (and not about partisan relations) and would put the coalition in a real unity test. In my view, this grassroots event is already scheduled in the political agenda for late August or early September and has nothing to do with troika’s wises.

It will be genuinely about the people and for the people.

This is the new draft bill for the relief of over-indebted households from loan obligations, tabled by SYRIZA to be discussed when the Parliament returns from the summer break.

Tsipras’ political argument is simple and involves hundreds of thousands of households that saw their budgets flattened by the crisis, due to unemployment or massive reduction of income. This policy was included in Antonis Samaras’ speeches during the pre-election period, but nothing is heard ever since.

The technical argument is that the banks are making up the losses from bad loans through their recapitalization from the Credit Stability Fund. At the same time, the banks continue to demand the repayment of the delayed installments, regardless of the fact that those loans have been classified as bad debts and are taken into account by the recapitalization.

In plain talk, those who will disagree with the bill would sound like asking Greek people to pay the banks twice for financial management failures of the past: first, via national borrowing for recapitalization, and second, from their own pockets for bad personal loans.

So, who is going to disagree with Tsipras’ proposal and on what grounds? In terms of political communication, this move is an absolute winner. It could rule the agenda and meddle beautifully with the new austerity measures the coalition government is about to announce; furthermore, it corners the coalition government politically, and challenges MPs (through a catalogue name vote) on an individual as well as collective level.

Conspiracy advocates could say that this is planned between the Premier and the main opposition. If this is not the case, New Democracy will have to react, PASOK and Democratic Left will have to take sides; MPs individually will have to do the same. This could prove to be a unique moment in Greek politics, gathering an across the board agreement, or the trigger in question, ending up being a win-win for the centre left.

It could also make Antonis Samaras the Prime Minister serving the shortest term in modern Greek history and turn Alexis Tsipras into the youngest one, ever.

Dr. Demetris Kamaras is the Editor of Alyunaniya.com

According to Kathimerini, Samaras insisted that Greece should only begin the process of asking for better terms after the cuts have been agreed and once Athens has shown that it is picking up the pace of structural reforms. The prime minister told his coalition partners that following discussions with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who visited Athens last week, and with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, who Samaras spoke to on the phone on Wednesday, he was left in doubt that this was the right strategy. Following a heated discussion, during which Venizelos and Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras exchanged angry words, Samaras’s position won out.

Stournaras said: “The prime minister recommended that we should accept the reduction of public spending by EUR 11.5 billion as a necessary prerequisite for Greece remaining in the Eurozone and being able to negotiate further,” said Stournaras after leaving the meeting. “This recommendation was accepted.”

Greek media wrote that PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos indicated that he had reluctantly given his support to the position adopted by the Prime Minister and Finance Minister. “If the Prime Minister believes that immediately making EUR 11.5 billion in savings is the only way to secure the country’s position in the Eurozone, I am obliged to support him,” he said, adding there was no point in sticking to his strategy anymore. “When we cannot agree on a domestic level, it is futile to pursue something on the international level.”

He added that the new savings must not be “unfair” or include “horizontal measures” and said that a new round of cuts to wages, pensions and benefits would worsen the recession, making demands for new cuts inevitable. Privately, Venizelos admitted that it was unlikely these cuts would be avoided.

Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras announced the opening of negotiations with the Troika, after yesterday’s agreement of the coalition leaders. First appointment is set for today, at 14.00.

Samaras had his first meeting with EU-ECB-IMF troika representatives at Maximos Mansion during which, according to a brief announcement by his office, he stressed the Greek government’s determination to make the necessary structural changes to get the economy out of recession, create jobs and ensure social cohesion.

According to protothema.gr, the Premier noted that the fiscal adjustment programme has inherent difficulties and that their predictions have not been confirmed. Instead, it has caused greater recession in the Greek economy and we have to take measures toward development and fiscal consolidation.

Samaras will present government policy at the start of a three-day parliamentary debate today and a vote of confidence on the coalition is scheduled to take place late on Sunday.

The key points of the programmatic statements are finalized and only the details remain to be discussed early today in another meeting of the representatives of the three government partners. A discussion of the three yesterday lasted two hours and included issues such as privatizations, labour, layoffs and redundancy in the public sector, mergers and terminations of public sector organizations.

The government is focusing on the new meeting between Finance minister Yannis Stournaras this Sunday with the troika, as the next day he will travel to Brussels to participate in the eurogroup. The aim of the Greek side is that any decisions on the part of the European partners do not require approval by national parliaments, which will open a new round of discussions on the Greek problem. Government sources said Stournaras will ask for an extension of the fiscal adjustment program.

Meanwhile, according to Financial Times, Greece’s new government has dropped a plan to seek softer terms for its second bailout following warnings that it would be rejected by international lenders. Yannis Stournaras, finance minister, said the governing coalition would have to accelerate reforms before asking for modifications in a EUR 174 billion programme agreed in February with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. “The programme is off-track and we can’t ask for anything from our creditors before we get it back on course,” Stournaras told the Financial Times. “There is light at the end of the tunnel but it is a long tunnel,” he added.

According to a Reuters version, Yannis Stournaras said: “The economy has gone through two difficult elections and the programme is off track in some respects, and it is on track in others,” he told reporters. “The troika people told me jokingly that I’m not going to have a good time at the Eurogroup on Monday,” he said. “I told them I’m aware of that.”