Hurry up and wait: Greece delays sending reforms to euro zone till Tuesday

Greece will present its economic reform plans to the euro zone on Tuesday, a government official said, missing a Monday deadline for the list which is a condition for extending the country’s financial lifeline. The official gave no reason for the delay but said euro zone finance ministers would consider Greece’s plans, which include a crackdown on tax evasion and corruption, as scheduled on Tuesday afternoon. In Brussels a euro zone official said the “content of the letter will not be a surprise” to the euro zone and therefore the Tuesday submission was not a major issue. Time is of the essence and the stakes are high, with Greece’s current 240-billion-euro ($270-billion) bailout programme due to expire on Saturday and several European parliaments needing to approve any extension.

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