IMF approves second rescue loan for Greece
US: The International Monetary Fund on Thursday approved a second
rescue loan for debt-riddled Greece, joining the European Union again in
an attempt to save the country from bankruptcy.
The IMF executive board authorized a four-year, 28 billion euro
($36.7 billion) loan for Greece "in support of the authorities' economic
adjustment program," the global lender announced.
"Greece has made tremendous efforts to implement wide-ranging painful
measures over the past two years, in the midst of a deep economic
recession and a difficult social environment," IMF managing director
Christine Lagarde said in a statement.
"However, the challenges confronting Greece remain significant, with
a large competitiveness gap, a high level of public debt, and an
undercapitalized banking system." The new Fund-supported program "will
enable Greece to address these challenges while remaining in the
eurozone," Lagarde said.
The IMF loan approval came days after eurozone ministers signed off
on their part of a huge 237 billion euro rescue plan for Greece, that
combines 130 billion euros in new financing and 107 billion euros of
debt reduction by the private sector.
The Fund made a first installment of 1.65 billion euros available
immediately, with other tranches dependent on Athens's progress in
hitting economic benchmarks.
The economic outlook was worse than previously believed, the IMF
said.
The Greek economy was expected to exit recession only in 2014, not
2013 as forecast in December. But with gross domestic product growth in
the low digits beginning in 2014, Greece's public debt would be on track
to meet the loan program's debt-to-GDP benchmark of below 120 percent by
2020.
The IMF projected debt would fall from 163 percent this year to 117
percent in 2020.
Lagarde highlighted that the Greek authorities were "fully committed"
to the program objectives and "stand ready to take any additional
measures as may be necessary." "Greece's priority is to undertake
competitiveness-enhancing structural reforms," she said.
But, Lagarde warned, "risks to the program remain exceptionally high,
and there is no room for slippages.
"Full and timely implementation of the planned adjustment --
alongside broad-based public support and support from Greece's European
partners -- will be critical to success."
The IMF mission chief to Greece, Poul Thomsen, said the structural
reforms Athens needs to take will be "undoubtedly socially and
politically challenging." But with the support of the IMF, the EU and
private creditors, he said, Greece can overcome its debt problems and
get its economy on the recovery track."This is doable," he told
reporters.
The loan approval had been expected, despite some misgivings among
members over the Fund pouring more money into troubled Greece and
Europe, and worries that Greece's fractious politics might impede
progress in restructuring its finances.
AFP |