LUXEMBOURG, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Head of Eurogoup Jean-Claude Juncker said late Thursday that he expected the terms of the second bailout program for Greece to be "updated" after a mission of international lenders finish its evaluation report.
"We expect the new government to invite the 'troika' (the European Union, International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank) to Athens next Monday," Juncker told a press conference after a meeting of eurozone finance ministers.
The mission aims to "reach an agreement on the conditionality that should be reflected in an updated memorandum of understanding," said Juncker, referring to possible changes to the terms of the 130-billion-euro (about 163 billion U.S. dollars) bailout deal.
While the remaining 1 billion euros of the first tranche of the bailout would be disbursed before the end of this month, the second tranche of loans would only be issued after the mission assesses whether the Greek authorities have implemented necessary measures, Juncker said.
Greece's caretaker finance minister George Zanias had given "reassurances on the fiscal situation in Greece and on the determination of the new prime minister and the coalition to remain committed to the euro and to honor the engagement of Greece toward the European Union and the euro area," Juncker said.
Juncker's hint of an "updated" version of the bailout program reflected a growing willingness among many European leaders to ease the terms of the bailout program and help boost the Greek economy, which is on course to the fifth year of recession and accompanied by an unemployment rate of 22.6 percent.
French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said earlier Thursday that Europe must be "sensitive" to the feelings of the Greek people and take steps to help the country to achieve economic growth.
Speaking to reporters as he arrived at the ongoing eurozone finance ministers' meeting, Moscovici said, "While Greece will have to honour its commitments, Europe has to be sensitive to the feelings of the Greek people and take measures to boost the country's economy."
"Efforts must be made, but at the same time we have to create conditions for hope. That's what the euro must be about," Moscovici added.
The comments came one day after a second round of parliamentary election resulted in a three-party coalition government which promised to negotiate softer terms on its harsh international bailout program.
However, there is still strong opposition from some European countries against any substantial changes to the agreed bailout deal.
Dutch Finance Minister Jan Kees De Jager told reporters that, "there is no alternative with regards to the reform (outlined in the bailout program), that is clear."
Also speaking before the opening of the meeting, the Dutch finance minister advocated "better measures" that can realize more, but excluded the possibility of "an alternative to hard painful reform."
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