The
Republic of Greece has again missed the International Monetary Fund
payment to late Monday, slipping further into the debt morass that
has devastated the economy.
Including
a missed payment at the end of June, Greece is in arrears to the I.M.F. for
about 2 billion euros, or about $2.2 billion, said the fund, which is based in
Washington. the country failed to pay the fund €456 million.
The
missed payment was overshadowed by the agreement among eurozone leaders
that would provide more aid to Greece and keep it in the eurozone, in
return for a harsh program of budget discipline and measures intended to
modernize the country’s economy.
But the
missed payment underlined Greece’s dire financial crisis and raised questions
about how the country would pay €4.25 billion it owes the European Central Bank
in less six days.
Greece
cannot receive any more I.M.F. financial aid as long as it is in arrears. But
the organization has not yet taken disciplinary action against the
country.
Gerry
Rice, director of communications for the I.M.F., said in a statement that the
fund’s executive board would discuss in the coming weeks whether to grant
Greece an extension on repaying the debt.
