ATHENS, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Greece made a new test return to international markets on Thursday opening order books on a seven-year state bond, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.
Greek authorities announced Monday that they had mandated five banks for the transaction, but the issuance was delayed a few days due to the turmoil in international financial markets.
The government is making its first step in fully returning to the markets in 2018 since international rescue lenders bailed out Greece in 2010.
The debt ridden country's third EU-IMF successive bailout program will end in August this year. Without the need of drawing money from the state bond market, Greece is receiving financial support at a lower rate.
Since July 2017, Athens started test returns to the markets by issuing state bonds for first time after 2014. The European Commission foresees that the Greek economy will grow by 2.5 percent in two years.
In the meantime, EU Finance Commissioner Pierre Moscovici is visiting Athens to discuss with Greek officials the current state bond test and future measures after the bailout program ends.
"It is meaningful for us to end the bailout program under good conditions. Although there are still some significant questions like supervision after the bailout program, I'm looking forward to the developments in this country. We will discuss and find a solution for the issues," Moscovici said.