Troika an immovable object

The Troika remained firm in its positions, as the Greek government officials had the opportunity to understand, after their participation in today’s meeting between Masuch-Thomsen-Morse and Giorgos Koutroumanis.

“We were… torn apart”, was the quite revealing comment made to protothema.gr by an official involved in the critical negotiations.

The representatives of the Troika insist that they accept no changes to what they are demanding in relation to doing away with the 13th and 14th salary, reduction of the minimum wage, slashing supplementary pensions and the abolition of collective bargaining.

The talks between Labour Minister Giorgos Koutroumanis and the Troika executives will be repeated at 1pm on Saturday.

Before the start of the current consultation, PM Lucas Papademos had instructed Giorgos Koutroumanis to say “no” to the reduction of the minimum wage and the abolition of bonuses in the private sector.

But the facts show that the Troika insisted on its views.