Meetings are underway as of this morning between the government and the representatives of Greece’s creditors, with energy sector reforms topping the agenda.

The first meeting between the two sides was to set a schedule and timetable for the current talks.

Both sides have expressed optimism that they can reach a staff-level agreement by Saturday, ahead of the 4 December Eurogroup, as an EU source has told To Vima.

The Greek team is led by Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and is comprised of Labour Minister Effie Achtsioglou, Energy Minister Yorgos Stathakis, Alternate Finance Minister Yorgos Houliarakis, and Dimitris Liakos, deputy minister to the prime minister.

The overarching aim is for the agreement to receive final approval at the beginning of next year, and specifically at the Eurogroup meeting scheduled for 22 January, once all conditions are met and passed into law.