Finance Ministry

Prime Minister Victor Ponta at the Palace of Parliament on Friday said that he would make the announcement of the proposal for the head of the Finance Ministry only after he consulted President Klaus Iohannis, with whom he has "a very normal institutional relation."

Photo credit: (c) Alex TUDOR / AGERPRES PHOTO

In a move that shows the Greek Government's willingness to deliver reforms fast, as it was decided at the multi-partite meeting that was held yesterday on the sidelines of the EU Summit,  the Greek Finance Ministry has released a statement welcoming moves by technical teams representing the country's International creditors.

By Prokopis Hatzinikolaou

Over 3.4 million taxpayers have either failed to fulfill their tax obligations or have avoided paying their dues to the state in the last couple of years. Since 2013 they have run up debts of 21.6 billion euros to the tax authorities, most of which concern arrears of below 3,000 euros each, which they can now repay in up to 100 installments.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta accepted the resignation of Finance Minister Darius Valcov on Thursday, following the request of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) to place Valcov under arrest pending trial.

Photo credit: (c) Liviu SOVA / AGERPRES PHOTO

 Social security funds reluctant to help out

By Sotiris Nikas & Roula Salourou

The government has called on major public corporations, including utilities, to invest their cash reserves in state debt, along the lines of the proposal made to social security funds and other state entities.

By Karl Stagno Navarra, Ben Sills & Marcus Bensasson

International Monetary Fund officials told their euro-area colleagues that Greece is the most unhelpful client their organization has dealt with in its 70-year history, according to two people familiar with the talks.

By Sotiris Nikas

Turkey's Prime Ministry office has spent some 460.7 million Turkish Liras of its total yearly budget of around 1 billion liras in the first two months of the year, according to the latest budget realization figures of the Finance Ministry.

By Sotiris Nikas

Greek representatives in talks with the country?s creditors are making a last-ditch effort to secure liquidity for state coffers through the disbursement of part of the outstanding bailout tranches.

 Fiscal gap at 3.3 bln euros if primary surplus target is kept at 3 pct, and at 1.2 bln if it drops to 1.5 pct

By Sotiris Nikas