Bailout envoy urges Greece to speed up reforms

(AP) ATHENS, Greece - A senior official from the European Central Bank on Monday urged Greece's new government to avoid further delays in implementing major structural reforms.

ECB board member Joerg Asmussen is in Athens as the struggling country's new coalition government holds talks with its rescue creditors. The government is seeking to amend Greece's bailout program as it battles a fifth year of recession.

Asmussen, who met Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras, said Greece should not "stretch the pain" of reforms any further.

"If one has identified that something needs to be done, do this quickly," Asmussen told a financial conference in Athens. "Don't wait. Don't stretch the pain ... because this is better to restore confidence in an economy."

Greece's new conservative-led government was formed quickly after June 17 general elections that ended months of political uncertainty, but saw a sharp rise in support for parties opposed to the bailout.

New Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who is convalescing at home following an eye operation, argues that the terms of bailout agreements that started in 2010 have failed to stimulate growth.

Asmussen, however, said failure to tackle the underlying problems of Greece's crisis - in public administration and competitiveness - would only result in more pain.

"The problems do not go away. Instead markets lose their trust in official statements," he said. "Governments have to take even more drastic policy measures to win back credibility."

Greece narrowly avoided bankruptcy earlier this year, before winning a major debt structuring deal with banks and additional bailout money from rescue lenders - other eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund.

Debt inspectors from the so-called troika - EU, IMF and ECB - are due in Athens this week to meet the new government, that is backed by Samaras' conservatives, traditional rival Socialists and a small left wing party.