Riga

Greek government officials are returning to work on Tuesday after the Orthodox Easter break to face the daily grind of negotiations to unlock financing and keep the country afloat.

European Union Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis on Monday called technical negotiations with the radical leftist government in Athens "very complicated", while much more work needs to be done so that an agreement to extend a loan agreement for cash-strapped Greece is achieved before or during an April 24 Eurogroup meeting.

European Union Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis admitted on Monday that technical negotiations with Greece over its bailout program are ?very complicated? and that much ground needs to be covered before the April 24 Eurogroup.

By Sharon Chen and Kevin Costelloe

Italian Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said he is confident an agreement on financial support for Greece will be reached by the time euro-area finance ministers meet on April 24.

The Euro Working Group (EWG) of eurozone technical staff gave Greece on Wednesday night an ultimatum of six working days to present its proposals with a regard to a string of reforms that could unlock financial aid to the cash-strapped country in the upcoming Eurogroup meeting scheduled to take place in Riga on April 24.

A mini-reshuffle of the cabinet is on the cards, a government official has indicated following a decision by authorities to revoke plans to put the Alternate Citizens? Protection Ministry under the auspices of the Justice Ministry.

Technical teams resumed their efforts in Athens on Tuesday, ahead of the Euro Working Group discussion set to begin at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and continue on Thursday. The negotiations at the meeting are based on a revised set of reforms that Greece sent to its international creditors last week.

As technical teams resume their fact-finding efforts in Athens, eurozone finance ministry officials are on Wednesday to discuss Greek proposals for reforms amid mixed signals from the government about what measures are actually on the table of talks.

By Eleni Chrepa & Marcus Bensasson

Greece is stepping up efforts to find allies in the U.S. and Russia as cash reserves run dry while an agreement on additional funding from the country?s euro partners still looks like weeks away.

Greece faces another critical week with looming debt repayment obligations and the resumption of tough talks on a proposed list of reforms with the country?s international creditors amid renewed speculation about the possibility of a Greek default or an early general election.