Government given foreclosure ultimatum

European officials have given the government an ultimatum to proceed with electronic foreclosures on homes later in the month or else the country's third bailout review will not be concluded.

The warning came despite the recent positive messages emanating from Brussels and Washington that Greece is making progress in the review and is on course to reach an agreement with creditors on a technical level by the end of the year.

But lenders appear adamant that the review's conclusion will be jeopardized if foreclosures do not take place as scheduled and if notaries, who have borne the brunt of attacks by anti-establishment groups and protesters, are not protected.

"If the Greek government has the will to protect notaries it will find the way to achieve this," a source told Kathimerini, adding that "if they want to stop the violence they can do it."

The sources...