Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-03-20 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] Tsakalotos, Chouliarakis meeting with institution chiefs in Brussels, Eurozone source confirms [02] Clear direction on Greece essential, France's Sapin says ahead of Eurogroup [03] Registered unemployment up in February --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] Tsakalotos, Chouliarakis meeting with institution chiefs in Brussels, Eurozone source confirms BRUSSELS (ANA/ M. Aroni) Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and Alternate Finance Minister George Chouliarakis were in a meeting with the heads of the institutions representing Greece's lenders, a Eurozone official confirmed on Monday afternoon. The official expressed hope that the meeting will give new momentum to the talks on completed the second review of Greece's programme and noted that the representatives of the IMF are asking for "strong commitments" from the Greek side in order to return to Athens. The same official also predicted that Monday's Eurogroup meeting will be brief. [02] Clear direction on Greece essential, France's Sapin says ahead of Eurogroup BRUSSELS (ANA/ M. Aroni) A clearcut direction must be given regarding the Greek issue, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said, in a doorstep statement as he arrived for the Eurogroup meeting on Monday. "I believe that for Greece and for Europe it is necessary to give a direction, a clear course that there is, obviously, a solution - both for the good of Greece and for the cohesion of Europe," he noted, adding that Greece will be the central topic at Monday's Eurogroup. Sapin said that the current situation in Greece was nothing like the summer of 2015 and that there were now "solutions ahead" and noted that things had to be made clear so that there could be stability and a return of investments to Greece. [03] Registered unemployment up in February The number of registered unemployed people (seeking job) in Greece rose by 7,148 in February from January, for an increase of 0.77 pct, the Workforce Employment Organization (OAED) said on Monday. The number of registered unemployed people was 936,110 in February from 928,962 in January. OAED said that 53.78 pct of registered unemployed were long-term unemployed (12 months or more), while 46.22 pct were unemployed for less than 12 months. Registered unemployment among women was 62 pct, while unemployment in the 30-54 age group was 65 pct, 91 pct were Greek citizens and 82 pct had no university degree. Registered unemployed people (not seeking job) in February was 159,756, down 0.79 pct from January, while the number of people receiving unemployment benefit grew by 13.43 pct to 178,105.