Brussels, 29/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Greek prime minister, Lucas Papademos, disagreed on Wednesday 29 February with the idea expressed that same day by the chair of the Eurogroup, Jean-Claude Juncker, in German newspaper Die Welt that a special European commissioner should be appointed to be in charge of restructuring the Greek economy. Speaking after a meeting with the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso, Papdemos said that Greece's new economic programme would be implemented by the Greek government, with the welcome assistance of the European Commission. He said Greece would earn the confidence of its partners through full and effective application of the economic programme over the next few years, adding that the Greeks were prepared to introduce the necessary reforms and make sacrifices as required. Papademos said that extra measures needed to be introduced as a matter of urgency to ease the immediate social and economic impact of the austerity programme. No solutions to the Greek problems will be found outside Greece, said Barroso, adding that the country was perfectly capable of making a success of the country. Greece has agreed with the Commission to set up a guarantee fund for small business and a fund for big infrastructure projects endorsed by the European Social Fund.
Addressing the EP's economic and monetary affairs committee, Juncker tried to calm nerves, saying that the idea was not to humiliate Greece but rather to help it because its administrative capacity is not adequate, particularly when it comes to tax collection. He said that the consolidation of public finance in Greece is clearly necessary, along with a genuine economic growth strategy. (MB/transl.fl)