Eurogroup: Green light for Greece amid German doubts

Greece has completed new economic reforms to receive the latest tranche from its 86 billion euro bailout fund. Euro zone ministers gave Athens a positive review of its reforms while withholding part of a new loan payment. They disbursed a €1.1 billion loan but postponed its decision on a further €1.7 billion payout to later in October. 

The release of the remaining tranche will depend on data on arrears payments for September that the Greek authorities are in the process of collecting. 

Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the chairman of the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers, said that "we are fully confident that it will be fine" during news conference after the meeting.

However ministers were upbeat Monday about Greece's economy and the progress it has made on reforms, many of them deeply unpopular among long-suffering Greek citizens. "Greece is making a lot of efforts. We have to recognize those efforts," said French Finance Minister Michel Sapin. 

Athens said last week that Greece’s debt will grow to €315 billion or 178.9% of output this year.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who didn't talk after the meeting yesterday, said on Tuesday that Greece must have the management of its privatization fund in place by the end of this year, speaking to reporters.