Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras would have asked Brussels for a 7 billion euro bridging loan within the next 48 hours to pay off maturing debts and avoid bankruptcy. This was reported by European sources cited by the Ansa news agency.
There is also talk of a rereading of the conditional request for a 30 billion two-year loan from the ESM bailout fund. Meanwhile, a meeting of the Eurogroup is underway in Brussels, which will be followed in the evening by a new summit of the European Council.
"We enter this meeting in a very constructive spirit to seek an agreement, much will depend on how the Greek government positions itself," commented the Italian Treasury Minister, Pier Carlo Padoan.
Athens has already failed to pay 1,6 billion euros to the International Monetary Fund in June (technically it is "overdue", but selective default proceedings have started) and by 20 July it should pay another 3,6 .XNUMX billion in the coffers of the European Central Bank.
“We will do everything to keep the euro area united – said Eurogroup president Jeroen Djessembloem before entering the meeting of finance ministers of the euro area -. First of all, we need to hear from the Greek government and their proposals and from there we will move one step at a time".
