<b>By Polly Ticks
Political Editor</b>

Last-minute talks to prevent debt-ridden Greece from exiting the European Union were halted when the Greek delegation went to a taverna for a day of drinking and smoking.

While finance chiefs from the across Europe tried to persuade Greece to reform and repay some of its huge debts, the Greeks just went for a relaxing day sitting about doing nothing at all.

They changed into shorts and t-shirts and sat outside the bar in the sun playing backgammon, talking excitedly about their early retirement and the cost of replacement restaurant plates.

Greece is due to pay 1.7 billion euros back to the International Monetary Fund this month - while asking for another 7.2 billion euros in emergency rescue funds. This comes as locals are emptying their bank accounts to keep their own money safe.

But the rest of Europe is refuses to help further while the Greeks are doing little or nothing to change their expensive habits, meaning the country is looking likely to leave the behind the EU <i>and</i> its massive debt for the rest of us to pick up.

<center><div class="getty embed image" style="background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:388px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:63.706564% 0 0 0;width:100%;"><iframe src="//embed.gettyimages.com/embed/148623523?et=QvkvjFMDR8tWYybOs_S3Sw&viewMoreLink=off&sig=k0ozZVq5vGV7YZ1mh8ZqnKX9HWjGPJPAPMrSvWnNBMs=" width="388" height="247" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></div><p style="margin:0;"></p><div style="padding:0;margin:0 0 0 10px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/148623523" target="_blank" style="color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;">View image</a> | <a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank" style="color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;">gettyimages.com</a></div></div></center><center><i>All Greek to me: locals sitting about</center></i><br><br>

An EU insider said: "These showdown talks are very difficult when the Greek delegation spends most of the day sitting about in local cafes drinking coffee and playing board games.

"It's little wonder the country does not want to reduce its generous welfare culture when this is what you can spend it on.

"But it's a little unfair on the rest of us."

Suffolk families on holiday in Greece were shocked. "You'd think that in the middle their country's worst-ever financial crisis that a bit of hard work might help," said Bill Toopay, of Halesowrth.

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