A team of auditors from the EU commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will have the first meeting with Greek officials on Tuesday morning.
They arrived in Athens on Monday to begin monitoring the implementation of Greece's Stability and Growth Program. The focus of the consultations at the Finance Ministry is expected to be the implementation of the pledges already made in order to put Greece's national economy in order, with special emphasis on development, since there is concern that the stagnation is deeper than originally estimated.
The EU and IMF auditors will also have talks with officials at the Ministry of Labor on the revised plan to strengthen the social security system, which faces a severe shortage of funds.
According to local Greek media, the Greek government these days has examined behind closed doors a new package of additional measures that could be announced even before the milestone of March 16, when the first report on Greece's progress will be presented at the ECOFIN Council.
According to reports in Greek newspapers that are not verified by officials yet, the Greek government intends to discuss these further measures with EU partners and take further action, before measures will be imposed to Athens by Brussels.
These measures are expected to be finalized during the visit of Commissioner Olli Rehn in Athens in about two weeks.
The government is allegedly committed to proceeding to an increase in VAT and fuel taxes, as well as a tax on certain luxury goods and cars./.