FinMin: No political solutions, only negotiations with troika

"Negotiations with the troika will continue next week" Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras said outside the Maximos Mansion on Saturday after his meeting with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
Stournaras expressed guarded optimism that a troika report to be submitted at the upcoming Eurogroup summit will be positive for Greece.

Referring to the negotiations, he said efforts for a compromise centre squarely on the economy's best interests, while he clarified that there are no political solutions, only negotiations with the troika. "

Officials: Progress in gov't-troika talks

Progress was reportedly recorded in negotiations between the government and representatives of the EC-ECB-IMF 'troika' to finalise a 13.9-bln-euro package of austerity and tax measures, finance ministry officials said Saturday after the end of Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras' meeting with the delegation.

Officials said there was progress on all the fronts during the nearly four-hour-long meeting, although "work will continue next week as well".

The main issue discussed on Saturday was the domestic banking and credit situation, as well as domestic banks' recapitalisation, given that 24 billion euros out of the 31.6 bln euros in the next bailout tranche will be funneled to banks via the Financial Stability Fund.
 
The troika delegation will depart from Greece on Sunday, while Stournaras will attend a Eurogroup Summit during the week.

SOURCE: ATHENS NEWS AGENCY