World

EU Commission chief urges Greece to advance more quickly on reform plans

Associated Press
Published | Updated

European Parliament President Martin Schulz, right, welcomes Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras upon his arrival at the European Parliament in Brussels Friday, March 13, 2015. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) (The Associated Press)

European Parliament President Martin Schulz, right, welcomes Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras upon his arrival at the European Parliament in Brussels on Friday, March 13, 2015. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) (The Associated Press)

European Parliament President Martin Schulz, right, welcomes Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras upon his arrival at the European Parliament in Brussels Friday, March 13, 2015. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) (The Associated Press)

The head of the European Union's executive says talks between Greece and its European creditors over the country's reform plans are taking too long.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Friday that he was "not satisfied" with developments over recent weeks. "I don't think that we've made sufficient progress," he added.

Greece's creditors in the 19-country eurozone agreed last month to extend the country's bailout program by four months on condition that the government's reform package is deemed acceptable.

Greece has depended on 240 billion euros ($255 billion) of bailout cash to meet its debt obligations since 2010 and avoid going bankrupt.

However, the rescue money has come with strings attached. Successive Greek governments have had to impose harsh austerity measures and enact economic reforms to get the money.