Brussels, 09/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - Antonis Samaras, leader of the New Democracy party in Greece that was in opposition under the government of George Papandreou, is unhappy about promising in writing to support the second Greek bailout programme agreed at the last eurozone summit (27 October, see EUROPE 10483). “There is such a thing as national dignity. I have repeatedly explained that, in order to protect the Greek economy and the euro, the implementation of the October 26 agreement is inevitable. I won't allow anyone to question the statements I have made”, he said in a press release issued on Tuesday 8 November.
The Eurogroup is calling on the big political parties in Greece to sign up to the second bailout programme in writing (see EUROPE 10491). “It is essential that the entire political class is now restoring the confidence that had been lost in the Greek commitment to the EU/IMF programme”, said EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn.
A coalition government will be announced in the evening of Wednesday 9 November after the official resignation of the Socialist prime minister George Papandreou, who announced on television that he was leaving sterile disagreements behind him and said that the new Greek government could be led by the speaker of the Greek parliament, Filippos Petsalnikos, because he could take over and rise above personal issues and party politics. (MB/transl.fl)