The Brussels Group meeting began with an obstacle course due to flight problems encountered by the Greek delegation – headed by George Chouliarakis – on its way to Brussels. But transport wasn’t the main problem faced by the Greek side on Wednesday as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) continued to place hurdles in front of the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) government in an effort to force the latter to agree to a so-called “zero deficit” clause for supplementary funds. That would be that funds without necessary reserves would not pay out auxiliary monthly pensions, as the state subsidy would be cut.

The IMF confirmed that it is not willing to come to a “fast and sketchy” agreement that Athens desperately needs.

The level of a fiscal gap (accumulated annual budget deficits) and how to deal with it will be decided during Thursday’s meeting between Greece and the Brussels Group as well as VAT changes (upwards). European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s statement for a 1.8-billion-euro VAT deviation (1% of the Greek GDP) is indicative of the huge distance between the two sides.

Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said on Wednesday that this deviation is an effort on the part of the creditors, which he called the “troika”, to impose further austerity measures on Greece. Arriving at the ministry, Varoufakis said the Greek side has its doubts on the figure given. “We think there is no such fiscal gap,” he said, adding that “the only reason why the issue of a surcharge on bank withdrawals has not been raised is our strong opposition and my personal opposition.”

Varoufakis sidestepped the fact that he was the one who unveiled the prospect of such a surcharge.