The economic and political effects of the DEPA failure

The failure in the bidding for DEPA with Russian GAZPROM avoiding to tender an offer causes puzzlement to the Greek government.
 
Member of the government said that behind the withdrawal of the Russians are geopolitical rivalries between the EU, Russia and the United States. It is known that the U.S. had told the Greek government they did not want it to sell DEPA to GAZPROM. However, it was thought that the problem was solved in the three visits by the company's head Alexei Miller in Athens and in meetings with Antonis Samaras. However, the risk of canceling the competition by the Competition Commission of the EU and the Russians lose the bid bond, made them back away at the last minute. The question is whether the Greek government was aware of EU's stance and had nonetheless given assurances to the Russians that its stance would be surpassed although they did not see them as adequate. And it is still uncertain whether Europeans acted on their own or under pressure and encouragement by the U.S. However, the government already said that the tender for the DEPA will recur and that the current failure will not affect the future sales value.
 
The cancellation of the deal had side effects on an economic and political level. On the economic level, the Greek government had estimated revenue from the sale of DEPA in order to catch the target troika has set for privatizations. Besides a shocking surprise the goal for 2013 will not be covered. The failure in the agreement also disrupts the climate the Greek government wishes to form to revive the Greek economy.
 
This development disrupts the political climate as well, as it creates doubts about the government planning and makes the success story be more wishful thinking rather than relying on the real prospects of the Greek economy. The Ministry of Finance announced that instead of primary surplus there might be a primary deficit. All the while confrontations between EU and the IMF for mistakes in the Greek fiscal program, continue. The Greek government coincides with the position of the Europeans that potential errors do not create a need for an immediate revision of the program.