Debt talks and the cost of delays

Our partners and creditors owe us a clear description of what they want the restructuring of Greece's debt to look like. They don't owe it to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, but to the Greek people, ever since the time when a primary surplus was achieved - at great pains.

It is easy to come up with reasons for delaying a decision, but such delays can be destructive as the bailout review has shown us. Everyone had warned Athens that the Dutch and the German elections would complicate matters. It was also a mistake to unilaterally announce benefits at the end of 2016, as it was to say more recently that the measures have just passed in Parliament would be revoked if debt relief is not granted.

If you add the fact that government appears to care more about appointments than it does for reforms, one understands how easy it will be for German Finance Minister Wolfgang...