Amidst a tug-of-war regarding Greek debt relief between Berlin and the IMF, which has set substantial debt relief as a condition for its continued participation in the Greek programme, the German finance ministry is holding its cards close to the vest.

“The matter of the Greek adjustment programme is on the agenda of next week’s Eurogroup. There the [lending] institutions will brief us on the current status, and then we can again brief you on the situation. Beyond that, there is nothing new,” German finance ministry spokesman Dennis Kolberg said, when asked about the prospects of the IMF’s participation in the Greek programme.

Kolberg refused comment on the issue of whether Greece should request a post-bailout precautionary credit line, which the ECB has recommended, noting that the ongoing fourth and last bailout evaluation is of paramount importance at the moment.