After six-year recession, Greece sees swing to economic growth in 2015 budget

Greece's finance ministry says the economy is on track to emerge from a six-year recession this year and grow by 2.9 percent in 2015, though unemployment in the bailed-out country is likely to remain high.

Deputy Finance Minister Christos Staikouras on Monday presented a draft of the 2015 budget to parliament, which sees a return to modest growth of 0.6 percent in 2014, ending the downturn that erased a quarter of the country's output.

The conservative coalition government is hoping to begin easing austerity measures and end stringent inspections by bailout creditors who provided 240 billion euros ($303 billion) in emergency loans.

But the coalition is facing a strong challenge from the anti-bailout Syriza opposition party and has called a vote of confidence in parliament this week.