Greek Credit Agreement Getting Closer

AMSTERDAM (AP) -- Greece's creditors say they are inching nearer to an agreement over the next batch of reforms the cash-strapped country has to make to unlock further bailout funds and trigger debt-relief discussions.

Following weeks of criticism and delay, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the top official of the grouping of the 19 euro countries, said Friday that both sides "are close to an agreement on number of key areas, such as the pension reform, the income tax reform" and a privatization fund.

All those reforms were part of last summer's bailout with the left-led Greek government. Greece narrowly avoided leaving the eurozone by committing to further austerity measures in return for its third bailout that was potentially worth 86 billion euros ($97 billion).

He said eurogroup ministers would likely have a special meeting Thursday.

(KA)