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Eurozone partners may ask for clarifications over recently announced Greek relief package

By N. Bellos
[email protected]

The sudden announcement, last week, of modest tax breaks and VAT reductions by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has reportedly caused unease amongst the country’s eurozone partners. The concern now centers on how willing the currently poll-trailing Tsipras government is to meeting post-bailout commitments vis-à-vis partners and creditors.

This message was conveyed by a high-ranking Eurozone official on Monday in Brussels. The latter noted that although Greece-specific issues are not on the Thursday Eurogroup agenda, EZ finance ministers may ask their Greek counterpart Euclid Tsakalotos for clarifications.

The most prominent concern is over a quip by Tsipras himself, who said Athens may “alter” its commitment for meeting an annual primary budget surplus target of 3.5 percent of GDP through 2022.