Eurogroup

Mario Draghi, the outgoing president of the European Central Bank (ECB), will visit Athens next week (Oct. 1) to attend and speak at an event held in his honor at the Academy of Athens.

Greece can be included in the European Central Bank's asset purchase program, known as quantitative easing, if it continues to make progress in implementing reforms, ECB President Mario Draghi said on Monday.

The European Parliament has voted Christine Lagarde's nomination as President of the European Central Bank.

Lawmakers voted 394 in favour, 206 against and with 49 abstentions in the parliament's plenary in Strasbourg.

The approval of Lagarde's nomination is uncertain, as the final decision on her appointment is taken by the European Council.

Today, MEPs will vote on the nomination of Christine Lagarde as President of the European Central Bank. 

Before the secret ballot there will be a debate in the plenary.

The European Parliament expresses its opinion on whether the candidate is suitable for the post, with the final decision being taken by the European Council.

Finance Minister Christos Staikouras sent a letter on Monday asking the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) to approve the repayment of the expensive part of Greece's loan from the International Monetary Fund before it is due.

The Minister of Public Finance, Eugen Teodorovici, said it is absolutely necessary the new European Commission to take into account the interests of all member states, and not only of some of them that are believed to be stronger and more influent. "I hope that the new team of the European Commission will truly approach every matter in the spirit of cohesion.

France has proposed the EU to create its own national digital currency and abandon the use of Facebook's Libra cryptocurrency to protect its financial sovereignty. This was stated today by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on his arrival at the meeting of the European finance ministers in Helsinki, BTA quoted Reuters and TASS as saying.

Finance Minister Christos Staikouras will present the priorities of the new Greek government at Friday's Eurogroup meeting before sending a letter to the European Stability Mechanism informing Greece's main creditor of Athens' intention to repay some of the loans from the International Monetary Fund ahead of schedule.

Greece's Finance Minister Christos Staikouras will discuss a request for an early repayment of part of the country's outstanding loans to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during Friday's Eurogroup meeting in Helsinki.
Athens is keen to repay the IMF loan which is more expensive than the yields Greece currently pays in the markets on its bonds.

Greece's finance minister will submit an official request to his eurozone peers this week to repay a loan to the International Monetary Fund, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told reporters on Sunday.

"The relevant request will be submitted by the finance minister to the Eurogroup on Friday," Mitsotakis said.