FT: Dijsselbloem tells Greece to start program ASAP

Eurogroup Chief J. Dijsselboem issues warning to Greece

A Financial Times article entitled “Greece warned to start reforms to gain cash”, has Dutch Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem warning that Greece must immediately start adopting some of the economic reforms demanded by its creditors in order to receive emergency funds ahead of a looming cash crunch.

Dijsselbloem told FT that he was prepared to make a disbursement of a bailout tranche of 7.2 billion euros to Athens as early as March but that these funds would not be allocated if the new Greek government continues to resist implementing measures of the existing bailout — and after campaigning to “kill” the program.

“My message to the Greeks is: try to start the program even before the whole renegotiation is finished,” Dijsselbloem told the Financial Times. “There are elements that you can start doing today. If you do that, then somewhere in March, maybe there can be a first disbursement. But that would require progress and not just intentions.”

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