EU Commissioner voices confidence over deal on Greek bailout review

Greece and its international lenders can reach a deal to conclude the pending Greek bailout review as long as more efforts are made by all sides, EU Commissioner for economic and financial affairs Pierre Moscovici said during a visit here on Wednesday.

The next scheduled EuroGroup meeting on Monday may be a good day for Greece, he said.

"I am confident if efforts are made by all sides, yes, we can make very good progress and move towards an agreement," the EU official told media after talks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

"We need to show and tell the Greek people that there is light at the end of the tunnel of austerity," he underlined responding to the Greek prime minister's remark during their meeting "the message is: enough with austerity in Greece."

"All sides must acknowledge the numbers and respect Greek people's sacrifices," Tsipras said, calling for relief measures.

On his part, Moscovici praised Greece for the progress achieved in fiscal consolidation and stressed the need for more focus on reforms to make the Greek economy more competitive.

"We cannot consider Greece outside the core of the European Union (EU) and the eurozone," the EU Commissioner stressed when Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos decorated him with the Grand Cross of the Order of the Phoenix "for defending the unity of the EU and the eurozone."

The medal is the highest award given to foreigners who have contributed to improving Greece's stature abroad, according to the Greek presidency.

Moscovici's visit also included a meeting with main opposition New Democracy party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Later he was given an honorary doctorate at the University of Athens. Endit