ATHENS, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Greek Finance Minister Christos Staikouras welcomed on Wednesday European Central Bank (ECB) president nominee Christine Lagarde's call for a review of the 3.5 percent of GDP primary surplus target for Greece until 2022 under bailout agreements.
Although the debt-laden country formally exited in August 2018 its third bailout program since 2010, Athens still needs to continue on the fiscal discipline and reform drive to fulfill commitments in exchange for vital aid to avoid default in the past decade.
During her hearing before the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, the outgoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief suggested that the target was "excessive" and put too much pressure on the recovery of the Greek economy, Greek national News agency AMNA reported.
"It seems there is a positive momentum being created in the desired direction by the leadership of the institutions," Staikouras commented, according to an e-mailed press statement by the Finance Ministry.
The conservatives who took over after July's general election in Greece have repeatedly argued in favor of lowering the primary surplus target to boost growth. Enditem
