Greece is becoming the focal point of the international media once again, after the voting of the new harsh social security and taxation bills in parliament, Sunday and in light of Monday’s Eurogroup meeting in Brussels. Bloomberg comments that the need for contingency measures derives from the dispute between the IMF and its European partners regarding the sufficiency of the measures already adopted, while in a separate piece it warns that Greek PM Alexis Tsipras is running out of time and that the Europeans will explore the prospect of alleviating the Greek debt after IMF Director Christine Lagarde’s warning that the targets of the past program are unnatainable.
British Guardian underlines that the bills passed through the Greek parliament, Sunday night, were the toughest yet since the crisis started six years ago. ‘The thorny issue of the Greek debt returns on Monday’s meeting, following the approval of the Greek parliaments of the new social security and taxation bills’, underlines the newspaper. It continues by pointing out that the controversial 5.4bln Euro reforms the government was forced to pass were the worst yet.
On its part, the BBC focuses on the Greek PM Alexis Tsipras’ speech in parliament and his efforts to defend the harsh measures he had to implement, noting the reforms were imperative for provision of more financial aid for Greece.
In its piece, The Wall Street Journal dubs the harsh austerity measures adopted by the Greek government as a ‘sensationalist move’ to convince its creditors for the next financial aid portion. The article adds, however, that the lenders, and especially Germany and the IMF, are at loggerheads over the bailout terms with the IMF arguing the current conditions are problematic.
German Bild lauds Tsipras, a day after his interview to the German outlet, stressing the Greeks chose to adopt austerity measures. The newspaper cites an EU official as saying that Athens ahs adopted 95% of the agreed measures, adding however, that the stance of German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble has not changed on the matter of a possible debt haircut.
French Le Monde points out that the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition government voted the controversial measures, with the opposition parties voting against them. Finally, Le Express comments that the painful pension reforms were voted by the Greek parliament, noting the opposition parties are calling for the resignation of Tsipras.
