Everything postponed, once again. Representatives of Greece introduced themselves to today's Eurogroup without new proposals. According to some sources in Brussels, the delegation led by the new Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos only made an oral presentation, without bringing any text. The written version of the new plan will probably be illustrated tomorrow by the premier Alexis Tsipras, awaited for an intervention at European Parliament.
The failure to present the new proposals has angered European finance ministers. “We would like a written proposal very quickly” for a question of “credibility”, said the number one of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem. “We talked about general things, but we don't have time to waste,” commented the Spanish finance officer, Luis de Guindos, piqued.
According to other sources, during the European Council scheduled for today at 18, Tsipras will ask the other EU leaders for a 7 billion euro bridging loan to be paid if possible "within the next 48 hours" to deal with the immediate emergency and avoid the risk of default.
Athens has already failed to pay 1,6 billion euros owed to the International Monetary Fund in June (technically it is "in arrears", but the selective default procedure has started) and by 20 July it should pay another 3,6 billion into the coffers of the European Central Bank.
According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung, in exchange for the 7 billion, Athens would be ready to present "proposals that essentially cover the reform plan rejected in the referendum", however asking for exceptions on the VAT applied in the islands, more moderate cuts in military spending and a slowdown in pension reform.
Basically, these are the same requests made last Tuesday in a letter sent to creditors, when the deal had been frozen pending the referendum.
