Greece says it has finalised austerity package

Greece will tell a Euro Working Group meeting on Thursday that it has finalised an austerity package after lenders made additional concessions on labour reforms, the finance minister said on Wednesday.

The government plans to submit two separate bills on austerity cuts and labour reforms to parliament next week, Yannis Stournaras said in comments, confirmed by a finance ministry official. He did not provide further details.

Negotiations between the government and its IMF and EU lenders have been nearing conclusion but talks have been held up by the refusal of the smaller parties in the coalition to back proposals to cut wages and severance payments.