International Monetary Fund

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde is to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on May 2 in Washington for talks expected to focus on the broader economic situation in the eurozone in general and to touch on the Greek economy and on the prospects for a launch of talks on lightening Greece's debt burden.

International Monetary Funds officials have recommended that Ukraine be granted a loan worth USD 17 B aimed at helping Kiev to reduce pressure on the economy.

Greece's general government primary surplus last year, as calculated by the country's international lenders, is estimated at 1.5 billion euros ($2.07 billion), Greece's deputy finance minister said on Wednesday.

Former Finance Minister Giorgos Papaconstantinou issued a statement on Tuesday denying claims that the International Monetary Fund’s ex-Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn had insisted that the Greek debt be restructured as part of the bailout deal signed in May 2010.

 Despite economic turnaround, demand is not expected to recover while supply remains at high level

By Dimitris Kontogiannis

The European Commission’s statistical arm, Eurostat is expected to confirm on Wednesday the size of Greece’s 2013 primary budget surplus, which the government hopes will further boost its argument that it made the right decision to stick with the fiscal adjustment program agreed with the eurozone and International Monetary Fund.

The budget’s cash results for the first three months of the year pointed to a primary surplus of 771 million euros, according to data published on Thursday by the Bank of Greece.

When revenues from the transfer of earnings from bonds and the exclusion of expired dent payments are included, this figure increases to 932 million euros.

Bulgaria will host the annual meetings between the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank next year.

The government decided on Tuesday to accept an existing proposal according to which the IMF-WB meetings could take place in Bulgaria, Dnevnik.bg has reported.

By Renee Maltezou & Deepa Babington

Greek far-right Golden Dawn lawmaker Ilias Kasidiaris strode into a packed hotel room in central Athens last month to the sound of a marching song and supporters' cries of "Here comes the mayor!"

A German liberal MEP declared he would run for a Greek party he founded to protest over austerity policies applied to Athens.

"I've always felt torn between the two... the German side of my heart is so ashamed," Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, who has Greek roots, was quoted as saying by the EUObserver.