(MENAFN- AFP) Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem gave a "strong commitment" Thursday that a deal to break the deadlock over Greece's bailout would be reached by next month.
Differences remain wide on unlocking the latest tranche of cash for Athens from its 86-billion-euro ($91-billion) bailout agreed in 2015, in order to avoid a default in July.
"The parliament has my personal strong commitment that we will achieve that deal for Greece in May. It needs to be done in May," Dijsselbloem, who is also Dutch finance minister, told European Parliament in Brussels.
"The situation in Greece is not good enough. Growth is falling back again," he said.
Eurozone ministers are set to meet on May 22.
In a sign of progress, the overseers of Greece's bailout -- the European Commission, European Central Bank and the IMF -- resumed a long-delayed audit Tuesday following an agreement on further reforms.
But disagreements remain on the level of debt relief needed by Athens with powerful Germany resistant to further efforts.
"Debt relief will be needed to find a solution. That's my opinion and I belive that is shared in the Eurogroup," Dijsselbloem said.
"We need trust to continue, growth to continue. You have personal commitment and I will come back to the parliament with that fair deal for Greece."
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