EuroGroup President: No deal on April 7

Greek government scrambles to change negative climate after creditors delay return to Athens

EuroGroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem expressed doubts that the a deal could be reached on the second review of the Greek bailout program in Malta on April 7. “I hope we can approve a deal soon, but that won’t be on April 7 at Valletta”, the Dutch politician told reporters in the Hague, according to Bloomberg. This new development came about after the Greek PM and members of the minor coalition party ANEL pressured Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos to renege on some of his promises to Greece’s creditors that had been agreed last week during talks. The Greek Finance Minister was “left hanging”, as he was compelled to send a letter and then dictated to the Greek mission to change stance during the EuroWorking Group meeting on an agreement that was considered all but closed, according to some officials from the institutions. Fearing a possible debacle on the course of talks, the Greek government hopes to reverse the negative climate in Friday’s teleconference with the IMF and its EU lenders. The Greek government has the European Commission as its ally, which is pointing the finger at the IMF as the body responsible for the delay in the return of the institutions to Athens and resumptions of talks.