Over in Athens, a top government officials reiterated this afternoon that an agreement, when (if?) sealed, would be put before parliament for vote possibly as early as this weekend, reports Helena Smith.

Speaking to the leftist radio station Kokkino.gr, the minister of state, Alekos Flambouraris, said there would be no quashing of dissent. Parliamentarians would vote on the legislation according to their conscience and not under the threat of party discipline. In the event of the legislation not being passed, “it would have to be resolved by resorting to the people,” he said.

As negotiations continue in Brussels there is mounting speculation in Athens that an agreement will be reached by Friday – and brought before the 300-seat House for endorsement possibly as early as the weekend.

“I think the government will achieve an agreement which is quite difficult but indispensible in my view,” said the politician widely seen as mentor to prime minister Alexis Tsipras. “There will not be an issue of discipline,” he added, insisting that it was vital the deal won the backing of the majority of government MPs.

“For the government to forge ahead in difficult conditions after the agreement, and to restart the economy and kick-start the country’s productive reconstruction, it has to have a unanimous parliamentary group which will put the programme into effect,” Flambouraris said.

The politician insisted that the debt issue was now being addressed as the leftist-led government had put it on the table. Athens’ hope was that it would secure a commitment from creditors acknowledging the need to resolve Greece’s unsustainable debt mountain.