By N. Bellos
Thursday’s EWG meeting in Brussels is not expected to lead to any agreement over the now dangerously delayed second review of the Greek program, nevertheless, it could plot the course of a breakthrough — given that a Feb. 20 Eurogroup is now only two weeks away.
A European official on Wednesday lowered expectations for today’s EWG meeting, while reports this week that creditors’ representatives could return to Athens in the coming days were also dashed.
According to the European source, the decision to resend creditors’ negotiators back to Athens will not be taken by the EuroWorking Group’s technocrats, but must be taken at a political level. That essentially means it must be approved by Eurogroup chairman and Dutch FinMin Jeroen Dijsselbloem. The same official said the EWG’s agenda has other issues beyond the Greek program, whereas the situation after the unveiling of an IMF report this week on the Greek economy and debt will be discussed.
The Europeans have aired their disagreement with the IMF’s main arguments concerning the Greek program, calling it pessimistic and unfair over the Greek economy’s recent results.
