Greek teachers and students take part in a protest march in central Athens on March 2, 2013 against cutbacks in the public education system due to the government's austerity measures. Demonstrators protested on March 2 lack of heat and food in many schools and the overall downgrade of the public education. AFP PHOTO / LOUISA GOULIAMAKI (Photo credit should read LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP/Getty Images)
ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Officials say talks this coming week between crash-strapped Greece and its international creditors will focus heavily on the possibility of public sector layoffs.
Representatives of the creditors - the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund - held preliminary talks with Greek finance officials Sunday but reached no decisions.
Three Finance Ministry officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record, say the creditors insist civil servant layoffs are needed as part of a reorganization plan to make the Greek state more efficient. The creditors also would like to see progress in privatizations and tax collection.
The talks, expected to last a week, will affect the disbursement of (EURO)2.8 billion in financial aid to Athens during March.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)