Mário Centeno

The finance ministers of the 19-member Eurozone have decided to postpone disbursing 1 billion euros ($1.12 billion) to Greece.

The reason for postponing the payment is that Greece has not yet changed the provisions of a law protecting debtors' main housing property from creditors to the EU's satisfaction.

The state has ceased paying off its debts to its suppliers after the country exited the bailout program in the summer. Instead of diminishing, the state's dues increased slightly in October, as the government's is obviously prioritizing the payment of social dividends and covering the ruling party's promises.

Eurogroup head Mario Centeno said Greece is on the right path in achieving the country's fiscal commitments but warned over lagging reforms, following a meeting of eurozone's finance ministers on Tuesday.

Eurozone finance ministers agreed to introduce by 2022 new rules that would facilitate the restructuring of public debt in the bloc's countries, the chairman of the Eurogroup Mario Centeno said on Tuesday.

New rules on so-called single limb Collective Action Clauses will be introduced by 2022, Centeno said after a meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Brussels. [Reuters]

The Eurogroup indicated on Monday that it will be green-lighting the Greek budget, though a final decision is not expected until early next month.

The Greek budget is under scrutiny in order to estimate whether the country can achieve the budget surplus target for 2019, Eurogroup head Mario Centeno has said.

Eurogroup head Mario Centeno reiterated on Monday that Athens must continue to implement its commitments to its creditors but noted that the pension cuts debated with the government are considered a fiscal rather than a structural measure - an argument supported by the Greek government.

President of the Eurogroup Mario Centeno on Thursday tweeted his condolences to the families affected by the deadly wildfires that ravaged eastern Attica earlier this week.

"Deeply saddened by all suffering caused by these tragic forest fires in Greece," Centeno said.

Not everyone in the European corridors of power agrees with the "flexible" viewpoint of Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Pierre Moscovici on Greece meeting its pledges: In interviews on Wednesday the heads of the European Stability Mechanism and the Eurogroup were adamant that Greece must continue on the reform path and not go back on its promises.

Eurogroup President Mario Centeno said on Wednesday that Greece is back on its feet but it must also remain on the path of reforms.

"Greece is ready to stand on its own feet again, with the sound foundations for sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth," he told European Parliament, adding that the agreement reached at the June Eurogroup is key for Greece to achieve that goal.