Talks, deliberations, meetings and contacts between Greece and its institutional lenders appeared to have picked this week in what’s being billed as a “final stretch” towards a deal – interim or final – to extend the former’s bailout financing.

At stake are 7.2 billion euros in bailout financing left over from the previous program, more-or-less in limbo for months now.

On Wednesday, Greek PM Alexis Tsipras spoke by phone with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, with a joint statement later affirming that they discussed the need for reforms in Greece’s social insurance system.

Swirling reports, mostly confirmed, point to a standing demand by lenders that the leftist Greek government cut supplementary pensions and proceed with further reforms, such as increasing the age for possible early retirement.

“(They) discussed the importance of reforms to modernize the pension system so that it is fair, fiscally sustainable and effective in averting old-age poverty,” the joint statement read.

“They also discussed the need for wage developments and labour market institutions to be supportive of job creation, competitiveness and social cohesion …They concurred on the role of a modern and effective collective bargaining system,” the statement added, touching on another “thorn” in negotiations, namely, Athens’ insistence on reversing previous labour sector liberalization.

The Tsipras government has promised to reinstitute the previous collective bargaining framework and to raise the minimum monthly wage, amongst others.