Greece can meet growth targets if it continues structural reforms, IMF official Poul Thomsen says

Greece can meet its ambitious growth targets if it remains committed to structural reforms, director of the IMF's European Department Poul Thomsen said on Friday.

At a press conference during the IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meeting October 15-20, Thomsen said that IMF sees reforms as an overall issue Greece must deal with in order to achieve long-term growth. He also reiterated the Fund's stance that reforms in the pension plans and expanding the tax base will benefit the Greek economy.

Among challenges Greece faces, Thomsen said, were its convergence with other Eurozone countries in terms of production levels and the adverse demographic factors, which led to the IMF's assessment that Greece's long-term development would be at low levels.