Greek side and Troika disagree over Private Assets Fund

New meeting on Tuesday

Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and Minister for Economy George Stathakis will meet with the three representatives of the country’s lenders, Tuesday, in an effort to hammer out a final agreement on the implementation of the 15 prior actions Greece has to fulfil in order for the Troika to release the 2.8 billion tranche and for the second review of the Greek program to be completed. The two sides disagreed on the composition of the new Public Assets Fund board during their first meeting, Monday, as the Greek delegation’s proposals on who should join Jacqes Le Pape, a French chosen by the Troika to head the Fund’s board, met the objections of the institutions, while the Greek side was cautious about the second person proposed by the Troika on the board, a Spanish official. The 5-member board of the Public Assets Fund is crucial in the privatisation of state assets, and the 3-2 ratio (3 choices by the Greek government to 2 picks by the Troika) with the privatisations needing a 4 to 1 vote to go through means both sides are trying to take control of the board, as it would allow either side to effectively decide on what is sold off and what not. The issue of what public assets will be transferred to the Fund is open for discussion, despite government sources saying that a deal with the Troika is close. Meanwhile, the energy matters will be nest in line with the Troika, as Energy Minister Panos Skourletis is scheduled to meet with the institutions later on Tuesday.