A new round of talks between the government and troika officials began on Friday with a meeting between Administrative Reform Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the foreign envoys discussing new proposals for an overhaul of the civil service and was to continue with Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras and the inspectors focusing on other issues including Greek attempts to plug funding gaps.
The Governor of the Bank of Greece, Giorgos Provopoulos, was to join talks with Stournaras and the envoys for an update on developments regarding the recapitalization of Greek banks.
According to sources, Stournaras will suggest alternative measures for covering a funding gap in a bid to avoid burdening Greek businesses with paying a contribution toward the self-employed.
The government and troika officials appeared to be edging close to a deal late on Thursday as sources revealed that Greek authorities had found a way to make good on a pledge to overhaul the civil service – by transferring some 4,000 municipal police officers into the ranks of the Greek Police (ELAS). The transfers would go toward the total of 12,500 civil servants Greece must put in a so-called mobility scheme, sources indicated.