The commissioner told journalists that the technical employees are already in Athens and plenty of progress has been achieved. The heads of the quartet, Declan Costello (EU), Delian Velculescu (IMF), Rasmus Rueffer (ECB) and Nicola Giammarioli (ESM).

“Hard issues on the table”

Mr. Moscovici also said: “There are hard issues on the table, as you know, and time is needed, yet it is the goal of the Commission to stay faithful to its timetable as this has been agreed with the Greek state. We are in close contact with Athens, as well as the Greek Prime Minister whom I met in Davos”. He also added that he recently met with Declan Costello to whom he gave his directions.

He added that: “It is the will of the Commission to successfully end the evaluation as soon as possible, so that we can begin, in a positive spirit, the discussion regarding the viaility of the public debt”.

It should be noted that the technical sections of the quartet investigated the data concerning the National Pension Scheme and have warned that the Greek government has failed to cover the 1,8bn euro of “expense cuts” as this has been agreed in the rescue program.