According to the website Mignatiou.com, J.Lew said that “the IMF will proceed with a new loan to Greece, only if there is a significant relief for Greek debt”. He also recognized that Greece has implemented important reforms during the past year.
Lew’s comments occurred in a meeting where Congressman Bill Huizenga submitted a bill regarding countries’ bailouts by the IMF. The bill wants to put an end in future bailouts of countries who cannot comply with IMF’s standard rules.
However, despite Washington’s clear message, the German minister of Finance, Wolfgang Schäuble said that “the conversation about the debt is not urgent at this point” adding that boosting Greece’s competitiveness and the implementation of structural reforms are more pressing issues.
On the other hand, Pierre Moscovici, European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, replying to Greek MEP Stelios Kouloglou, described the participation of IMF to the Greek lending program as “its own decision”.
Regarding Greek debt, Pierre Moscovici pointed out that any relief will be the “decision of Greece's creditor states” and that “in each case, it will depend on the full implementation of program conditions by the Greek side”.