BERLIN--Greece will get only get money from its international
creditors once Athens has successfully completed the existing
bailout program, the spokesman for Germany's finance minister said
Friday.
Asked whether it was possible for cash-strapped Greece to
receive some bailout money before Athens has completed the program
of budget cuts and economic overhauls, finance minister spokesman
Martin Jaeger said Germany sees no basis for an early payout of
aid.
"What we are talking about is the payment of the last tranche
and a successful completion of the program is mandatory for the
payment of this last tranche," Mr. Jaeger said at a news
conference.
German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported Friday that Greek
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had urged European Commission
President Jean-Claude Junker to meet for talks on Greece's
financial squeeze that has left the government unable to pay wages
to all government employees. According to the daily, Mr. Juncker
had rejected the request.
Last month, Greece and the eurozone reached an agreement for a
four-month extension of its bailout from international lenders.
Under the agreement, Greece must present a detailed package of
budget cuts and economic overhauls which is required to pass the
scrutiny of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and
the International Monetary Fund, the supervisors of the
bailout.
Only after the implementation of these measures will Athens
received the next 7.2 billion euros ($7.88 billion) slice of a
EUR240 billion bailout that has kept the country afloat for almost
five years.
Write to Andrea Thomas at Andrea.Thomas@wsj.com
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