BBC: IMF boss Christine Lagarde says Greece has 'more to do'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18171653

The head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, is keeping up the pressure on Greece to fix its finances.

In an interview with the BBC, Ms Lagarde said there had to be more tax collection and structural reform. That is despite the deep unpopularity of austerity measures imposed on Greece by the IMF and European union in return for bailout funds.

Greek politicians are divided over whether to continue supporting those measures and face a 17 June election.

"The Greek population has made huge efforts. But they have more to do. There are more structural reforms to be had, there is more tax to be collected and that has a price," Ms Lagarde said in an interview with the BBC's Today programme.

Many analysts think that Greece may abandon the austerity measures and be forced out of the euro.
Ms Lagarde said the IMF did not like the that prospect, but that it was "prepared for all possible situations".

But she said that the costs of Greece leaving could be so high that other members of the eurozone may be prepared to pay more to keep Greece in the euro.

"It may well be that members of the eurozone will be prepared to support financially more and maybe longer the Greek country and population to stay within the zone," she said.
Greece is likely to be discussed when European Union leaders gather in Brussels on Wednesday for a summit.

Σχόλιο: Πολύ προσεκτικές και διπλωματικές οι δηλώσεις της Lagarde. Για την ώρα φαίνεται να κρατά στάση αναμονής, περιμένοντας τις κινήσεις των Ευρωπαϊων εταίρων...