Funding gap without bailout finalization

"If there is no government to conclude negotiations, there will be an important funding gap," he said. "This deficit is manageable until February, and not easily afterwards, since from March onwards our needs will increase."

He also warned Greece would post lower growth next year if a president was not elected. Greece emerged this year from a six-year recession and the 182-billion-euro economy is expected to expand by 0.6% this year and 2.9% in 2015.

After a meeting with the PM yesterday, Hardouvelis said EU and IMF inspectors are expected to return to Athens early in January and conclude the review before a Jan. 26 meeting of euro zone ministers.

Greece needs to repay IMF loans worth about 2.8 billion euros by the end of March. Its next major funding hurdle comes in July and August when it has to repay over 5 billion euros in maturing debt.

So far Athens has been granted a two-month extension to its bailout to the end of February. A senior aide to Tsipras said on Monday a SYRIZA government would ask for a further "limited" extension to the programme.

"Greece's funding needs are minor until the summer. There is an issue of negotiating a big ECB bond which matures in the summer," said aide Nikos Pappas. "Mr. Samaras is afraid and behaves like a blackmailer."