Troika inspectors to return to Greece in 2 weeks
Greece: Troika inspectors take two-week timeout, latest reforms unresolved
A Greek flag is mirrored in the glasses of a Greek army retired officer during a protest against pension and health cuts in Thessaloniki, Greece on Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Hundreds of retired armed forces officers, many with their families, protested over cuts in their pensions. Greece has resorted to severe cuts in pensions and wages in order to pare down its debt. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Greece's finance minister says rescue lenders will send inspectors back to Athens in about two weeks after both sides failed to finalize a new round of deficit reduction measures.
Yannis Stournaras said the inspectors from the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund — known as the troika — would return in late March or early April.
The troika officials held a three-hour meeting Wednesday with Stournaras and conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. The two sides remain at odds over the speed of state job cuts and plans to address mounting tax payment arrears.
It was unclear whether the talks' extension would affect the timing of the next loan installment, due this month and worth €2.8 billion ($3.63 billion).
