Eurogroup

A big rally is currently underway in the centre of Athens, where thousands of people have gathered to express their support for the Greek government, ahead of a crucial battle at an extraordinary Eurogroup meeting in Brussels.

A top eurozone official has downplayed expectations that a debt deal with Greece is likely at an emergency meeting Wednesday.

Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who chairs the meetings of eurozone finance ministers, says "we will listen to the plans of the Greek government» and «we will look how we can deal with this over the coming days."

Upon his arrival at the extraordinary Eurogroup meeting, which will take place this evening in Brussels, Jeroen Dijsselbloem expressed his hope that Greece sticks to the path of reforms.

According to the Eurogroup president, the country has returned to growth and has achieved a primary surplus thanks to the reforms that have been implemented so far.

Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis will reportedly meet with Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund immediately after his arrival in Brussels, where the extraordinary meeting of the Eurogroup takes place this evening.

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis headed for a showdown with eurozone finance ministers on Wednesday after his new leftist-led government won a parliamentary confidence vote for its refusal to extend an international bailout.

The eurogroup chairman said on Wednesday that any changes to Greece's bailout programme must be in line with existing agreements with the country's international lenders.

Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who heads the group of eurozone finance ministers, was speaking to the Dutch parliament, where a majority of lawmakers called for no new financial support for Greece.

By Nikos Roussanoglou

The Finance Ministry attempted to backtrack on the issue of the privatization of Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) on Tuesday, releasing a statement to revise what senior ministry officials had said a day earlier.

Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis did not rule out clashing with his eurozone counterparts at Tuesday?s Eurogroup meeting in Brussels as Germany's Wolfgang Schaeuble warned that Greece would be offered no other deal than the extension of its existing bailout.

Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem on Tuesday extended an olive branch to Athens a day ahead of a crucial meeting to discuss the stand-off over Greeces bailout, saying he was "extremely willing" to work for a solution.

The European Union is aiming to clinch an interim debt deal with Greece at a meeting of eurozone finance ministers on Monday, with "low expectations" for a breakthrough at meetings of ministers and EU leaders this week.