Brussels strict message to Athens: Brexit is no excuse to let up on prior actions agreed in 3rd memorandum

Brexit means faster implementation of measures, says EU official

EU officials have sent a strict message to Athens stressing that the implantation of the prior actions agreed between Greece and its creditors would have to be accelerated following the exit of the UK from the EU. ‘Now, more than ever compared to the past, Greece will have to implement the program in a timely fashion’, said the Brussels official, according to Greek newspaper ‘Kathimerini’. Speaking to journalists in the Belgian capital, the source pointed out that the ‘milestones’ required to be activated until September do demand new legislations, and therefore there was no reason for a fast implementation of the actions in July. ‘There is no reason for them not be enforced in July, the latest in August. There is no excuse’, said the official. The EU bureaucrat estimated the Greek economy would not be affected by the Brexit, while making it clear that there would be no concessions to Greece due to a recession from the Brexit. ‘We will be strict. We will persists in the implementation. Why should we be lax’, said the source. On the matter of the labour market, which will be at the core of talks in the second review, the EU officials believed no reforms were necessary, as Kathimerini reports. ‘If the Greek government in collaboration with the task force on labour matters presents reasonable proposals we will be open’, said the source.