Brussels, 27/08/2012 (Agence Europe) - Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann believes that Greece should have extra time to comply with its commitments. “I believe that there is a good chance that we will end up with a positive outcome with Greece, in which the Greeks stick to their commitments towards the EU, but in return, have more time to pay back” their debts, said the Social-Democrat leader in an interview with the daily newspaper Österreich. This view contrasts with that of Germany, which has ruled out any idea of extending the deadline for Greece (excessive deficit of 3% by 2014).
Last week, the Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras received in Athens the president of the Eurogroup, Jean-Claude Juncker, before talks with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Friday and with French President François Hollande in Paris on Saturday (see EUROPE 10673 and 10674). “I would like to think that these meetings allowed us slowly to reverse the climate of mistrust towards our nation (…). The main objective was to say: 'You have a creditable interlocutor' and for a new start. Secondly, the goal was to stop talking of a Greek exit from the eurozone”, he said on Sunday on the Greek public television channel NET.
Berlin and Paris reiterated their support for Greece to stay in the eurozone, as long as the country sticks to its budgetary and macro-economic commitments under the second financial bailout. The question of a Greek exit from the eurozone “is a non-issue”, Hollande said on Saturday. He believes that the Greek government should show its willingness to “go all the way, whilst making sure this is bearable for the population”. This can be achieved, amongst other things, with the adoption of a package of economy measures close to €12 billion over two years, to be enshrined by the Greek parliament. “The sooner the better”, said the French president. If the troika (European Commission, ECB, IMF) concludes in its report to the European Council of October that the Greek programme is back on track, “then Europe will have to do what it has to do”. In other words, pay Greece a tranche of aid of €30 billion. The troika will return to Athens in early September. (MB/transl.fl)