IMF's Thomsen proposes broadening the Greek tax base

Poul Thomsen, director of the International Monetary Fund's European department, on Friday spoke in favor of a broadening Greece's tax base though he stopped short of determining whether the IMF would call for reductions to the tax-free threshold (due to come into effect in January 2020) to apply a year in advance. 

Speaking in Washington, where the IMF is holding its Spring Meetings, Thomsen said that raising taxes had played a large part in the country's fiscal adjustment in recent years but that Greece must find a way of meeting fiscal targets that is "growth-friendly."

The IMF will not impose any specific policies, he said but proposed a "discussion" about the timing of tax reforms. 

As regards the Fund's potential role in Greece's third international bailout, which expires in August, he said at least one bailout review must be carried out before a decision...

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