ATHENS — EU, ECB and IMF auditors have submitted a 'positive' report on Greece's compliance with the terms of its bailout agreement, key to receiving further aid, a Greek source said on Thursday.
The Greek finance ministry source said the report is "positive," describing the situation as "under control" even as the International Monetary Fund in Washington insisted it was still working on the matter.
"The IMF is in the process of completing the fifth review" on whether to proceed with the next loan installment, IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told a regular news briefing.
Earlier, a Greek newspaper reported that a disagreement between the EU and the IMF about Greece's long-term ability to pay its debt may delay a report expected Friday for release of critical funds.
According to the daily Kathimerini, "the IMF is maintaining a tougher stance vis-à-vis the Greek debt and how viable it could be" and wants a new economic adjustment programme drafted as it considers the estimates of the EU's executive Commission "too optimistic."
The Greek finance ministry source said the report, on clearing 8.0 billion euros in aid under a 2010 bailout accord, called on Athens to do more to stabilise its public finances.
European sources told AFP that the report by high-level auditors dispatched by the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank -- commonly called the 'troika' -- had been delivered to eurozone heads of government on Wednesday.
Another report by the EU's executive Commission on the viability of Greece's debt, which currently exceeds 350 billion euros ($483 billion), was also handed to eurozone policymakers, the sources said but the Greek finance ministry source said this was not the case yet.
The Commission itself refused to confirm this news, or whether there is a disagreement with the IMF over Greece.
Eurozone finance ministers gather Friday in Brussels, with approving 8.0 billion euros in bailout loans based on the auditor report high on their agenda.
Kathimerini had reported the disagreement between the EU and IMF threatened to delay the submission of the report.
The EU and IMF granted Greece a 110-billion-euro package of bailout loans last April, which are distributed in installments provided Athens can convince EU and IMF auditors it is undertaking sufficient measures to bring its deficit under control.
The latest loan installment was due in September, but has been delayed and the Greek government has rushed to implement auditional austerity measures to unlock the funds before it runs out of cash next month.
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