Pronunciation, Meaning, Synonyms & phonetic transcription

That they’re all but broke, we knew already, but my message to the Greeks is then every time again : so then, work with us as quickly as possible on an adjustment to the program. Athens is hoping the finance ministers will approve its list and allow for the return of about 1.9 billion euros( $ 2.07 billion) in profits made by the European Central Bank on Greek bonds, the source familiar with the matter said. The source said Athens also expected the return of about 1.2 billion euros in cash left in the Greek bank bailout fund that was taken back by the euro zone last month - something euro zone officials said the euro zone bailout fund would discuss on Wednesday. Greece argues that its own bank rescue fund should have returned only 9.7 billion euros to the euro zone rather than 10.9 billion euros, since it had used its own cash reserve rather than EFSF bonds to make that recapitalization. Greek officials have not gone into detail about the latest reform list. Sakillarides said only it would not contain recessionary measures but structural changes. The reforms are deeply sensitive for leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who came to power in January pledging to end austerity policies but was forced to accept an extension to a hated bailout program under the threat of a banking collapse. Greece has received two bailouts totaling 240 billion euros since 2010 but its economy has shrunk by 25 percent partly due to austerity measures imposed by the lenders. One in four Greeks is out of work, and more than half of all young people. AIR CLEARED. Alexis Tsipras discussed the reforms with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Monday. Sakellaridis said that in a four-hour working dinner they discussed only the outline without going into depth. Both leaders voiced mutual goodwill during a visit that appeared to have cleared the air after weeks of public acrimony between Athens and Berlin. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said after meeting Tsipras on Tuesday that an improved climate between the two countries would help start serious negotiations for a solution to Greece's debt problems. The Social Democrat politician told reporters this alone would not solve Greece's financial problems, but it was.