🤑 It doesn’t get more affordable. Grab this 60% OFF Black Friday offer before it disappears…CLAIM SALE

Greece still needs EU help to stay afloat, Commission says

Published 25/04/2014, 11:05

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's debt dynamics have slightly worsened and the bailed-out country still relies on its international creditors to remain fully funded, the European Commission said in a report on Friday.

The European Union's executive expects Greek debt to stand at about 125 percent of gross domestic product in 2020 and at about 112 percent of GDP in 2022, the Commission said.

In its previous analysis of Greek debt sustainability, Greece's lenders saw debt at 124 percent of GDP in 2020 and "substantially below" 110 percent in 2022.

"This deterioration is due to several factors: a lower forecast for nominal GDP, mainly reflecting a deeper adjustment in prices, a somewhat lower forecast for privatisation revenue following delays in privatising government assets and higher arrears clearance compared to the previous revue," the report said.

Greece's projected privatisation revenues through to end-2020 have been lowered by 1.9 billion euros to 22.3 billion euros, according to the report.

Despite the fact that Greece returned to bond markets earlier this month, it still relies on a pledge by euro zone countries to provide it with further help, to be considered fully funded, the Commission said.

The country faces a funding gap of 5.5 billion euros ($7.60 billion) through to end-May 2015, according to the report. Also, the Commission's debt forecasts for 2020 and 2022 are based on the assumption of further debt relief for Athens.

Greece earlier this week qualified for further debt relief from its euro zone partners after European officials confirmed it achieved its first primary budget surplus since 2002, before interest and other one-off items.

Greece's government says it needs no third bailout, after the two ones it has received since 2010. The EU and the IMF have paid Athens more than 215 billion euros since the start of the bailout.

(Reporting by Harry Papachristou)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.