“No new measures for this year” government says

"There will be no new measures for this year if we implement fully the measures voted in March," government sources said after the meeting chaired by Finance minister Yannis Stournaras.

"We must route the voted measures of 11.6 billion euros in 2013 by the 23rd of this month", they said in view of the Troika’s return to Athens.

According to these sources, the government has found equivalent measures of 40 million euros for 2012 and another 120 million for 2013 to avoid making cuts in the military special payrolls. The savings will come primarily from transfer payments in arms programs and the review of specific contracts. This proposal will be submitted to the Troika for approval, as it is not a permanent one. Among the measures discussed is the proposal to increase military service from 9 to 12 months to reduce the recruitment needs for professional soldiers of 5-year service.

During the meeting 10 ministers and vice ministers looked over any costs of the revised budget of their Ministry for 2012 to see what can be cut and from where.

A minister who is called to further cut his ministry’s costs spoke of "a sad privilege" because he had already reduced them by 80 million in February.

According to information, they also discussed expenditure in education, health, defense and social security, while it seems that the big cuts will come to the grants of State corporations and the investment program.