Brussels, 24/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - “We shall do everything possible to maintain the stability of the euro, our common currency”, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was very pleased to tell the press after the summit. Greece will have to shoulder the responsibility of approving the austerity programme imposed by the IMF and the EU next week. This remains the basis and hence one of the essential conditions for adoption of the future new (second) bail-out package for that country, she said. Although Greek opposition leader Antonis Samaras showed himself to be intransigent towards the considerable pressure exerted by all the other Christian Democrat and Conservative leaders during the EPP summit on Thursday 23 June, Merkel remains “relatively optimistic”. She believes the vote will be in favour and the austerity programme adopted on 30 June - if necessary by the governmental side under Prime Minister Papandreou alone. Merkel took the view that, for acceptance of the measures and for the country's stability, it would nonetheless be desirable for the opposition to also give its approval. The more approval there is, she said, the better it will be for Greece, for the euro and therefore for everyone. As she has done before over these past few weeks, Chancellor Merkel underlined the voluntary but “substantial” involvement of the private sector in the cost of the second Greek bail-out package, but she did not wish to specify to the press what she understood by “substantial”. It is too soon to be speaking figures, she said, adding “we'll see”. She also welcomed the financial support announced by the Commission to assist Greece in getting its economy back onto its feet, as well as the technical and administrative aid to help the country make better use of the cohesion funds.
Merkel said how “impressed” she was and pleasantly surprised at the determination and resolve shown by the Irish and Portuguese leaders to implement their austerity programmes agreed with the IMF and the EU as part of their bail-out.
Draghi's appointment. Angela Merkel welcomed the appointment of Mario Draghi of Italy at the head of the ECB. This, she said, shows the ECB's independence and stability policy. (H.B./transl.jl)