Greece's 2015 primary surplus beats target, but already discounted

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Greece had a master redundant finale yr that heartbeat the aim set in its bailout curriculum, according to the European Mission, but euro partition officials aforementioned the figure was already discounted in negotiation betwixt Athens and lenders on reforms and debt alleviation. A Mission spokeswoman aforementioned Athens recorded a principal excess - which excludes debt service costs - of 0.7 pct of gdp in 2015. "This is in contrast with the Direction baseline and so well punter than the program's financial prey of a elemental shortfall of 0.25 pct of GDP for 2015," the spokeswoman added. The main counterweight is a key indicant to measure Greece's procession in its 3rd outside fiscal saving.

The Greek governance was pinning hopes of avoiding tougher asceticism measures sought-after by the Outside Fund and euro zona lenders on achieving a bettor budget situation. But the Committee declaration on Thursday may modify lilliputian. "It is irrelevant, because it had been amply discounted advance," one older euro zona prescribed aforementioned. (Reportage by Jan Strupczewski and Francesco Guarascio; Redaction by Paul Taylor and Toby Chopra)