–Adds The Latest On Talks Between Athens And The Troika

ATHENS (MNI) – Greece’s two leading unions said Friday that they
will organize a strike and massive protests in the center of Athens to
register their disapproval of the visit by Germany’s Chancellor Angela
Merkel next Tuesday.

The two unions, GCEE and ADEDY – which represent both public and
private sector employers – said the strike will take place on Tuesday
afternoon, when protesters will converge on Athens’ central Syntagma
Square, frequently ground zero of protests against the austerity
measures that have been imposed on Greece over the past three years. The
protesters will also target the presidential palace.

Earlier Friday, Greece’s Prime Minister Antonis Samaras welcomed
Merkel’s decision to visit him in Athens as a “very, very positive
step.” He said the German Chancellor would be “welcomed to Athens in the
appropriate manner, suited for a leader of a great and friendly
country.”

The unions argue that Germany is largely behind policies being
forced on Greece that they view as “anti-social” and “pro-recession.”

The Greek government and the so-called Troika – inspectors from the
European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary
Fund – are at loggerheads over E13.5 billion in additional deficit
cutting measures that Athens’ official sector creditors are requiring.
The Troika has cast doubt on between E2.5 billion and E3 billion of the
measures the Greeks have proposed, as MNI reported on Thursday.

Greek officials have conceded that there is no chance of reaching a
final agreement with the Troik in time for next Monday’s meeting of euro
area finance ministers in Luxembourg. That had been the original target
date.

But it now appears the negotiations will drag on, which means no
decision will be taken on releasing a E31.5 billion loan tranche for
Greece at least until sometime after a EU leaders’ summit scheduled for
October 18-19, and more likely not until November.

Samaras said in an interview with Germany’s Handelsblatt, published
Friday, that without the loan disbursement his country will run out of
cash by the end of November.

A round of talks today between the Troika and Greek officials
lasted more than five hours and ended this afternoon with no agreement
on the measures to be implemented.

A senior Greek Finance Ministry official said the talks with the
Troika would continue over the weekend in the hope of closing as many
gaps as possible by Monday.

–Athens bureau, apapamiltiadou@mni-news.com

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