(Reuters) - The participation of private sector bondholders in a Greek debt swap plan is nearing 85 percent, taking it closer to a 90 percent target, Greek daily Eleftherotypia wrote on Monday, citing unnamed government sources.
Athens has been struggling to gather the 90 percent participation targeted in a July European Union deal meant to save it from default. As part of the deal, banks are meant to take a 21 percent haircut on their Greek government bonds.
"Government sources claim that the participation of the private sector is nearing 85 percent," Eleftherotypia wrote.
"If the participation is near 90 percent, as in this case, but it misses the target, the EU may say (the plan) is successful and find the money to cover the gap elsewhere. The bond swap programme is expected to be concluded by the end of October," the liberal daily added. (Reporting by Ingrid Melander and Tatiana Fragou)