Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-05-31 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] Tsakalotos: Á clearcut solution on debt [02] PM Tsipras meets with vice president of Croatian gov't Stier [03] We will do our best to reach an agreement as soon as possible. EU Commissioner Moscovici says [04] Uncertainty over the sustainability of Greek debt must be lifted, says Benoît Coeuré [05] 135 migrants and refugees arrived on the Greek islands in the last 48h --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] Tsakalotos: Á clearcut solution on debt Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos on Wednesday in an Economist conference held in Frankfurt asked for a clearcut solution on the Greek debt. "Everyone has agreed that Greece has met its commitments," the Greek Finance Minister said adding that Greece needs "clarity" on the debt sustainability measures. [02] PM Tsipras meets with vice president of Croatian gov't Stier Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras met on Wednesday with visiting vice president of the government of Croatia and Foreign Minister Davor Ivo Stier. Tsipras welcomed the Croatian official to the Maximos mansion at 10:30 and left 45 minutes later. A meeting with Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias is currently underway. [03] We will do our best to reach an agreement as soon as possible. EU Commissioner Moscovici says BERLIN (ANA/Ch.Vassilaki)---European Commissioner for Financial and Economic Affairs Pierre Moscovici expressed optimism on Wednesday that there will soon be an agreement on the conclusion of the second programme review. In his recorded message at the Economist and German-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry Conference in Frankfurt on "Greece: A comeback to the financial markets", he said that we have been close to an agreement for the conclusion of the second programme review over the last months. "We will do our best to reach an agreement as soon as possible. To build on the significant progress that has been made. I will continue, on behalf of the Commission, to press all the involving parties to find a solution asking them to bear in mind the 11 million Greek citizens," he said and added: "I am sure that Greece will succeed and we will open a new chapter in its long history." He also mentioned the big fiscal adjustment that has been achieved. "Greece has shown great responsibility by achieving an unprecedented fiscal adjustment estimated at over 16% of GDP in a period of deep recession. It's in good position. It has a significant primary surplus of 4.2%, outperforming its targets in 2016. It is able to fulfill its budgetary targets for the coming years." [04] Uncertainty over the sustainability of Greek debt must be lifted, says Benoît Coeuré BRUSSELS (Ch.Vassilaki) - Benoît Coeuré, member of the Executive Committee of the European Central Bank (ECB), at a conference in Frankfurt on Wednesday, stressed the need to lift the uncertainty over the sustainability of the Greek debt in order to restore the confidence in the Greek economy. "Clarity over the debt measures is also a prerequisite for a possible participation of the Greek bonds in ECB's quantitative easing programme," said Coeuré. "We are sorry that the debt relief measures were not defined at the last Eurogroup meeting. The deliberations are in progress, but I believe that it is important to reach an agreement at the Eurogroup meeting on June 15," he added. Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and Bank of Greece (BoG) governor Yiannis Stournaras participate in the conference. [05] 135 migrants and refugees arrived on the Greek islands in the last 48h A total of 135 migrants and refugees arrived on the northern Aegean islands in the last 48 hours. 54 of them arrived on Lesvos, 40 on Chios and 41 on Samos. According to police on Wednesday 9,171 migrants and refugees that have sought for asylum and their request has been not examined yet remained stranded on the islands.