ATHENS, Greece—A top European official said Tuesday that Greece and its European creditors should be able, by next week, to iron out disagreements on reforms the country must undertake to receive a new rescue loan installment.
Financial and economic affairs commissioner Pierre Moscovici said that while significant progress has been made so far, “three or four” issues remain unresolved.
These include measures to protect Greek-mortgage holders from foreclosures, as well as whether sales tax will be imposed on private education—from kindergartens and schools to music, language and dancing lessons.
But Moscovici voiced confidence that a compromise will be found ahead of Monday’s meeting of finance ministers from Greece’s eurozone partners.
“We are not considering the case of failure, we are looking only for success,” he said, after talks in Athens with Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos.
A successful outcome would allow Greece’s creditors to unlock a 2 billion-euro ($2.4-billion) loan installment, and resume talks on further reforms on which another 1 billion euros in rescue loans is contingent. The money comes from the third bailout deal Greece signed in the summer, after months of dithering that nearly led to the country’s expulsion from the eurozone.
