Outgoing EWG chief says government expectations of a 'clean exit' unrealistic

A debt relief deal after the current bailout program expires in August will mean fresh commitments from Athens toward its international creditors and not a so-called "clean exit" as the government anticipates, outgoing Eurogroup Working Group (EWG) chief Thomas Wieser told Kathimerini on Sunday.

Even though the nature of Greece's post-bailout relationship with the institutions is something that has not yet been discussed, Wieser notes that it will depend on what kind of agreement the two sides will reach for lightening the country's debt pile, stressing that every bailed-out eurozone country has emerged with a different relationship with its creditors. Like Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus before it, he says, Greece will be under supervision until 75 percent of its debt is repaid, which, at current estimates, will be around 2060.

The 64-year-old Austrian economist...