One day before visiting Athens for the 12th time in seven years and shortly after the publication of two major European Commission reports on Greece, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs Pierre Moskovici, in an exclusive interview with Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA), says the message he will bring to the Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the Greek authorities is that what Greece has accomplished so far is very important, but there is still work in progress and specific commitments need to be addressed. For the March 11 Eurogroup, two main open issues need to be addressed: the refining of the government's plan to reduce NPLs and protect the primary residencies and the divestment of the PPC and its lignite plants. Commissioner Moscovici says that reforms continuity, confidence and market situation are clearly interlinked. So the Eurogroup of March 11 is important, not only for the significant disbursement of 1 billion euros as such, but mostly as a signal to the markets. At the same time Commissioner Moscovici rings the bell for avoiding any backtracking of the reforms and recalls that "commitments taken by the greek state must be respected." 

The following is an interview Moscovici gave to ANA's correspondent in Brussels, Maria Aroni:

ANA: What is the reason of your visit to Athens this time and what will be your message to the Greek government?
It is a regular visit.  I will have the occasion to discuss with (Prime Minister) Alexis Tsipras but also with the Greek Parliament. We will take stock of the commitments that have been met but also discuss  those that need to be finalized.  It is my 12th visit since 2012. This includes also the period when I was Finance Minister of France, probably the 10th visit as Commissioner. Greece is a country which is dear to my heart and also the case which I have been following since the first day as a Commissioner, struggling to avoid Grexit and then to succeed defining the adapted program, then to go to the end of this program; and we are now in a post-surveillance process. I think it is logical that I go regularly along that framework.

ANA: What are the most important specific commitments that need to be addressed or finalized in the near future?
I would insist first on what has been done, which is far for being negligible. The adoption of the 2019 budget with a primary surplus of 3.5% of GDP, according to the target. There is also progress on the health care reforms and on privatisations.
As for the commitments that need to be addressed there are two main open issues: First the divestment of the Public Power Corporation and its lignite plants. It is not a very simple dossier, I discuss it often with the Greek authorities and the prime minister.
Secondly, the extention of the protection of primary residencies, in the household insolvency law, the so called Katseli law. This one is of the outmost importance. Any protection needs to be targeted to those in genuine need and must not be opened to abuse by strategic defaulters. It should strengthen efforts by banks to tackle NPLs and to improve the capital base, so they can engage in more lending to sustain growth and job creation. We are discussing that with the Greek authorities. There is progress made, but we need to find the right balance. We had several versions of the proposed reforms. The recent versions are much better than the previous ones but we think that we still need to refine the proposal. That is the message I will send tomorrow to the Prime Minister and the Parliament. 

ANA: There are few weeks left till the Eurogroup of March 11 which will decide whether the final 970 million euros will be disbursed or not. Are the institutions and the Greek authorities really close to finding an agreement on the two main pending issues (PPC and Katseli law)?
I trust that Greece will be able to deliver these outstanding issues in time for the March 11 Eurogroup. I hope it will be done, not only because it will open the way for the disbursement of close to 1 billion euros, which is significant, but also because it will send an important signal to the markets that Greece remains on track with its reform commitments, which is vital to support confidence and investments. If I look at the progress recently made and the political will that is expressed, also the good will of the Commission and the institutions and of the member states, this is obviously doable, but we are not there yet.  

ANA: The European Commission expresses concerns in some areas such as the double-digit increase of the minimum wage, the hirings in the public sector, and the slowdown of reducing the stock of arrears. Are you concerned there is a backtrack of the pace of reforms in view of the upcoming elections?
These are points that we raise in our report. They express concern that we need to avoid any backtracking or lax attitude. We need a very solid, credible country, with credible administration. This is the way forward for Greece. 
If the general question is to avoid backtracking, my answer is clearly yes. I know what is in the electoral campaign, I am a politician myself. I hope that this campaign and the specific situation of Greece will be as controlled and as serious as possible. There is wide room for democracy, but commitments taken by the Greek state must be respected. The country as such must be conscious that it is in a post-programme process and that commitments taken with the Eurozone partners must be respected. 

ANA: Speaking about electoral campaigns, do you think there is room for renegotiating the primary surplus targets?
I wouldn’t advise anybody to try to do so. The Commission is not in the spirit that such surpluses must go on forever, but credibility is  still at the heart of the matter. It is by proving in a long-lasting way that Greece can convince its partners, when the time comes, that you can go to another step. This might be a result, not a precondition. If you try to do that immediately, you will only create doubts with your partners. People must be confident that Greece will respect its commitments not just for the last 6 months but also for the next years . So this is not the brightest idea.  

ANA: So the continuity of the reforms is very important for the confidence and the markets, but then why do Greece’s yield spreads remain elevated and sensitive to external market conditions? 
There are still some fragilities and there are still some questions. This is why again delivering of commitments is so important. With the long-lasting effort and credibility in the long run, the markets will be fully reassured and will be convinced, as I am, that this is a country of opportunity, a country with new culture, which is a culture of long-lasting reform. That’s what Greece needs obviously. And this is why the Eurogroup of March 11 is important, not again for the disbursement as such, but as a signal to the markets. Reforms, confidence, market situation are clearly interlinked.

ANA: Can we now clearly say that Greece stands on its own feet, or not yet?
I will respond with Οedipus' response to the Sphinx's question about man. It starts with 4 legs, then on two, then on three. Greece of course stands on its two feet and that’s good news. But you know, I’ve got a young son, he will start walking in a few weeks, the first steps will be hesitant, then they will become firmer. 

ANA: With your term due to end in October what plans do you have for afterwards?
I don’t know at all. But what I know is that I am as a civil servant as a politician. I am a European and I am central-left politician and whatever I will do, it will be somewhere between those three characteristics. I have some time to think about it, I am sure there will be some opportunities.