The momentum behind Greece’s privatisation programme appears to be thawing as it tries to persuade its bailout creditors it is serious about selling off €50bn-worth of state assets.
Western Europe
Latest articles from Greece
Greek banks stabilise after difficult year
March 29, 2016After a difficult year, Greece's four largest lenders are now better capitalised and less dependent on external funding, but bad loans remain a problem.

A more positive picture for Greece and its banks
January 25, 2016There is a real chance that the Greek economy could recover significantly in 2016 following the successful recapitalisation of its main banks late last year, but first the country must take some important steps, not least regaining the trust of foreign investors, according to John (Iannis) Mourmouras, the senior deputy governor of the Bank of Greece.

What will it take to turn European banking union rhetoric into reality?
January 4, 2016The formation of a European banking union should have helped ease Greece's economic woes, but far from putting European banks on an even footing, the so-called union left Greece out in the cold, writes former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis.
Greece: faith versus sustainability
July 27, 2015Greece and the EU have faith that everything will work out in spite of the country's debt being a long way from sustainable. What does all that mean for the future?
Greece and the eurozone need the IMF to act
July 27, 2015The International Monetary Fund has gradually found its voice in the years since its participation in the Greek bail-out of 2010. Now it must go further.
Crisis in Greece: the credit impact on south-eastern Europe
July 13, 2015The turmoil in Greece is having an impact on financial markets throughout the eurozone, but this impact may be felt greater in its five neighbours where Greek banks have a particularly large presence: Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia.
Evaluating funding of Greek banks
February 19, 2015The stand-off between Greece and the rest of the eurozone over the terms of the country’s bail-out raises uncertainty over local banks’ funding ability. With a troubling combination of low deposits and likely shortfalls in European Central Bank funding,The Banker looks at how they might cope.
Germany shares responsibility for Greek failure
February 6, 2015With Greece and Germany at stand off since the former elected the anti-austerity Syriza party to power, Brian Caplen looks at the actions of the Germans and the European Commission that led to this situation.
Espirito Santo crisis highlights continued struggle in periphery
August 22, 2014The crisis at Portugal’s Banco Espirito Santo has raised fresh doubts about the recovery of banks in the peripheral eurozone.