Eurogroup head discussing Greece with PM Samaras
Eurogroup head Dijsselbloem in Athens to discuss Greek economy
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who heads the finance ministers of the 17 European Union countries that use the euro, is meeting in Athens with the Greek prime minister and finance minister to discuss the debt-ridden country's efforts to reform its economy.
The eurogroup head, who is also the Netherlands finance minister, was meeting with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras early Friday afternoon, before holding talks with Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras.
Hammered by a prolonged financial crisis, Greece has been relying on funds from international rescue loans since May 2010. In return, it has introduced stringent austerity measures, including repeated tax hikes and cuts to salaries and pensions. The country is in a sixth year of a deep recession, with unemployment around 27 percent.
