Greece may run out of funds within weeks

Greece is coming under increasingly intense pressure from her international creditors and bond markets, with a decision expected later this week on whether Athens will receive the latest tranche of aid from the International Monetary Fund, a $15.6 billion credit due within weeks.

Officials from the IMF, the EU Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB), the three bodies overseeing the continuing rescue, are now in Athens reviewing the options.

They are expected to make their recommendations later this week. If these fail to gain support internationally or in the Greek Cabinet, a disorderly default may become inevitable.

The latest injection of cash, agreed last May as part of a €110 billion ($192 billion) rescue, is said to be under threat as IMF officials are dissatisfied with the progress Greece is making to fixing her public finances.

In particular, IMF officials are unhappy about the speed and ambition of a proposed privatisation programme.

They are also worried about the reliability of the country's economic data.

- Independent