After bailout talks hit fresh delays, Greece says under pressure for new austerity measures
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Declan Costello of the European Commission, center, and Klaus Masuch of the European Central Bank , second from right, arrive for a meeting with Greek government officials, in Paris, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014. Greek officials and debt inspectors meet in Paris to restart a review of the nation's financial reforms before the bulk of the country's bailout loans end this year. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) (The Associated Press)
A Greek official says the country is under pressure from rescue creditors to impose new austerity measures to resolve an ongoing budget disagreement worth a reported 2 billion euros ($2.5 billion).
Christos Protopapas, a former union leader and Socialist labor minister, said Thursday that international lenders remained at odds with Athens over deficit projections in the 2015 budget.
Protopapas attended two-day talks in Paris this week with representatives from the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund. The talks, however, failed to resolve the impasse.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Greece and the bailout lenders are negotiating a final, major package of cost-cutting reforms before eurozone loan installments end this year and the country switches to a so-called precautionary credit line.