IMF EU Chief conveys complaints on Greece to IMF Council

IMF EU Dept Chief P. Thomsen: “The situation is far from ideal!”

The IMF’s European Department Director Poul Thomsen conveyed complaints by the representatives of Greece’s creditors to the IMF Council. Representatives of Greece’s international creditors from the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund complain that they have no access to Greek ministers or even the Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis.

Thomsen reported that progress has been slow and only on procedural issues rather than important ones that could unlock aid to Greece. “The situation is far from being ideal,” Thomsen was quoted as saying.

Thomsen reportedly said that he has no idea of the real situation regarding liquidity in Greece and that is why he does not express an opinion on debt sustainability. “The worst of all is that the experts of the Brussels Group do not have access to ministers. They cannot see ministers. The representatives of the institutions cannot know if what they are told by the officials in Athens reflect the decisions taken by ministers or they are the positions of civil servants,” he reportedly said while dismissing reports that he has asked for a debt haircut.

It is believed that only an agreement in principle has been reached on loans that can not be serviced with the two sides disagreeing on issues concerning labor, pensions the 2015 fiscal policy and administrative reform.