Lenders reject ‘reforms list’, seeking Plan B

The leftist Greek government is examining, and re-examining, all of its options

Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis failed to sway Greece’s international lenders with his reforms list, a packet of six measures sent just days ahead of Monday’s crucial Eurogroup. Eurozone governments along with representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), European Commission (EC) and European Central Bank (ECB) – formerly known as the “troika” of Greece’s international lenders – want Greece to find more revenue to fund its Public Sector from privatizations. The group is concerned about the situation being created in Greece and are urging for the return of the troika to monitor Greece’s fiscal position and funding needs.

On its part, the government is withstanding any form of supervision and is refraining from presenting data and figures. Varoufakis, speaking on Wednesday at an event at the Greek-Greek-French Commercial and Industrial Chamber, said that German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s reference to “troika” was a “Freudian slip” of the tongue. He appeared to be counting on a solution to move along the basic funding line of the ECB that is meeting in Cyprus on Thursday. Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras is called to play a key role during this meeting thorugh he doesn’t have voting rights during the particular procedure. Upon his return to Athens he will brief Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on the meeting.

The government is expected to seek a political solution at the Eurogroup meeting on Monday so that funding to Greece can continue. “We are going to war and are only thinking of victory,” said Varoufakis on Wednesday, adding that there is an alternative plan if things do not go well. The government’s goal is to gain the Eurogroup’s approval for at least part of the 7.5-bln-euro tranche to Greece, whereas Varoufakis is also planning to return the 1.9-bln-euro profits from Greek bonds being held by European Central Banks.

The Greek economic delegation is examining every possible solution. To avoid touching wages and pensions it is examining practices of foreign lending. The goal is to seek various solutions until June. Transfering liquidity from public institutions until April is one option, provided that these institutions are not “wrung dry”.

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