BERLIN (MNI) – The German government insisted again Wednesday that
all relevant Greek political parties must sign on to implement the
country’s reform obligations — before and after elections expected this
spring.
“We need certainty that the [reform] path will be continued after
the election date as well,” government spokesman Steffen Seibert said at
a regular press conference here.
“It will be the duty of the [Eurozone] finance ministers to
elaborate how many signatures will be necessary in order to get that
certainty,” Seibert explained.
German Finance Ministry spokesman Martin Kotthaus said at the same
press conference that this will be a topic at today’s telephone
conference of Eurozone finance ministers.
“This will have to be discussed today,” he said. “For all European
partners and the IMF it is important that the [Greek reform] program be
continued and implemented.”
Both Seibert and Kotthaus stressed that Germany will do what it can
to keep Greece in the Eurozone.
“In the end, though, it is up to the Greeks to implement this
reform path,” Kotthaus stressed. “There is no way around these reforms
so that Greece regains its competitiveness and can stand on its own two
feet again.”
A decision on the second aid package for Greece is not expected at
today’s Eurogroup telephone conference, Kotthaus made clear: “The
telephone conference will be a review of the situation.”
Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Juncker said Tuesday that Eurozone
finance ministers will hold a conference call rather than a meeting
because further technical work is needed between Greece and official
lenders.
–Berlin bureau: +49-30-22 62 05 80; email: twidder@marketnews.com
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