Brussels

Athens has sent out a request for a loan extension to the EU, the Eurogroup's head says.

Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Dutch Finance Minister currently heading the Eurogroup meetings, wrote on Twitter that the EU "received Greek request" for a six-month extension.

Greece on Thursday formally asked the EU for a loan extension which would buy the cash-strapped nation time to unveil new anti-austerity reforms, a government source said.

"The request has been sent" to Brussels, the source said, with Greek reports noting that Athens is requesting a six-month assistance package.

[AFP]

One of the Bulgarian government planes could be substituted as stated by Bulgarian Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski.

The idea involves selling the currently used 130-seat Airbus.

By Ian Wishart

Investors should take confidence from signals that the Greek government is planning to request an extension to its country?s bailout loan agreement, European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said.

Agreement on judiciary is not enough - EP official

BELGRADE -- European Parliament Rapporteur on Serbia David McAllister welcomed on Wednesday the agreement on judiciary that Belgrade and Pristina reached on February 9.

However, he added that it was not sufficient to open the chapters in Serbia's EU accession talks as there are many topics that have not yet been addressed.

The euro working group (EWG) of finance officials will meet in Brussels on Thursday to discuss a Greek request for a loan extension, Kathimerini understands.

Athens is expected to submit the request earlier Thursday.

Greece will submit its request for a six- month loan extension to the euro-area Thursday, a day later than originally planned, according to a government official.

BELGRADE - European Parliament (EP) Rapporteur on Serbia David McAllister has arrived in Belgrade, where he will stay for a few days and hold meetings with senior government officials and representatives of the opposition and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

EU: Serbian steel mill "must not receive govt. assistance"

BRUSSELS -- The EU is ready to talk with the Serbian government concerning the restructuring of Zelezara Smederevo steel mill, Tanjug said it learned from a spokesperson.

Greece offered to accept conditions on an extension to its loan agreements with the eurozone, and even an inspection by the European Commission, at a fraught meeting in Brussels on Monday, documents released by Athens showed.