EU's Moscovici believes 'more than ever' in Greek debt deal

 The EU's Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said on Wednesday he believed "more than ever" that a debt deal was possible between Greece and its creditors, despite five months of deadlocked talks, AFP reports.

"I believe more than ever that a deal is possible if the political will is shared by all," Moscovici told AFP, adding that the "next few days would be decisive for Greece."

Greece and the European Commission have traded barbs over the past several days, with the EU's executive flatly rejecting the latest reform plans submitted by Athens.

"I contacted the representatives of the Greek authorities yesterday afternoon to tell them in the name of the Commission that we still disagreed on the proposed budgetary targets," Moscovici said.

Budget targets for 2015 have been a key stumbling block in the fraught talks between Athens and its trio of creditors, the EU, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

The creditors are demanding a one percent of GDP primary surplus for this year, which the Greek government refuses on the basis that this could only be achieved through more austerity.

"Technical discussions should continue," Moscovici said, as all sides scramble to secure a reforms-for-cash deal that would unlock 7.2 billion euros ($8.1 billion) remaining in Greece's bailout.