Greece requests loan from World Bank, Politico reports
Greece has requested an unknown amount of "financial assistance" from the World Bank even as bailout talks continue amid government officials and representatives of the country's international creditors, according to a report in Politico.
“The government of Greece has asked the World Bank to provide technical and financial assistance to address pressing challenges including: long-term unemployment, economic competitiveness and growth and social protection,” Politico cited a spokesperson from the World Bank as saying in a statement.
“In accordance with World Bank procedures, any final decision on providing loans would be subject to approval by the bank’s board of executive directors,” it said.
The World Bank declined to specify how much money Greece is purported to have requested, Politico reported.
Greece’s current creditors “are not too happy about” the fresh request for funds, an EU official was quoted as saying.
The report also cited an unnamed government source as saying that negotiations were under way but not confirming the alleged request for a loan. “Preliminary talks have taken place indeed with [the World Bank] but we cannot confirm official application,” the source was quoted as saying.
