The Greek economy is forecast to expand by 2.5 percent next year – way better than this year’s anticipated 0.1 percent.<br /><br /> The strong growth outlook comes from Greece’s central bank, which at the same time criticised the government’s controversial plan to pay a Christmas bonus to the country’s poorest pensioners. <br /><br /> That decision led to the eurozone’s financing arm suspending some short-term debt relief measures.<br /><br /> The central bank is calling for “pragmatism and flexibility” so that a review of Greece’s progress on its bailout-mandated reforms can be concluded as soon as possible.<br /><br /> “There is not much time left, in the light of upcoming national elections in a number of euro area countries,” the bank said in its interim monetary policy report.<br /><br /> The central bank said the country had made headway in implementing its bailout reforms. “Under no circumstances should this progress be halted,” it said.<br /><br /> Bank of Greece sees potential for recovery, urges calm in negotiations https://t.co/BSx5tGxqpi #Greece #economy— MacroPolis (@MacroPolis_gr) December 16, 2016<br />
