Tsakalotos cuts expectations within ruling party

Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos poured cold water on Thursday on governing party officials' high expectations for a post-program emancipation from obligations such as reducing pensions as of January 2019 and achieving high primary surpluses of 3.5 percent of gross domestic product by making it clear that such prospects are impossible and the priority at the moment lies in completing the program.

"The Greek government's position is that this is not a good time for such a discussion," he said when asked about the possibility of avoiding the pension cuts, leaving no scope for doubt about the application of the measure, which has also been incorporated into the European Commission forecasts issued yesterday.

Tsakalotos, who recently caused some discontent in his party after revealing that the post-program surveillance would entail three to four visits per year by the...