Xinhua — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) requested the adoption of a supplementary set of measures worth 4.5 billion euros for 2019 in order to join the Greek bailout program, Greek Deputy Finance Minister Yorgos Chouliarakis said during a debate on the 2017 budget.
“The IMF depends its participation in the Greek program with the in advance ratification this December of extra measures accounting to 2.5 percent of the GDP, meaning 4.5 billion euros, for 2019,” Chouliarakis told the assembly.
The Greek official explained that according to the Fund’s projections, Greece will not achieve a primary budget surplus of 3.5 percent of its output in 2018 and beyond, as forecast under the current bailout.
However, IMF’s projections regarding the progress of the Greek economy in 2015 or 2016 were not confirmed, Chouliarakis noted, expressing confidence that Greece is on the path of economic recovery.
“Our priority now is to support the return to growth and the key in this process is the immediate conclusion of the second review of the bailout,” he stressed during his speech which was broadcast on the parliament’s channel.
