BERLIN (MNI) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday she
was optimistic that the European fiscal aid planned for Spain’s banking
sector would find a supportive majority in the German parliament on
Thursday.
“The signals I’m hearing make me optimistic,” Merkel told
journalists here.
The largest opposition party, the center-left SPD, signaled last
week that it would vote with the government coalition on the aid for
Spain.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said in an interview
broadcast Wednesday on the government’s YouTube channel: “I’m very
certain that Spain will always be able to meet its commitments.”
Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said at a regular press
conference here that Schaeuble had stressed in today’s cabinet meeting
that Spain would be fully liable for the European fiscal aid to its
financial sector.
Commenting on Greece, Finance Ministry spokesman Martin Kotthaus
said at the same press conference that Athens must implement “difficult
reform steps” now. He again insisted that the reform program agreed
between Greece and its international lenders needs to be implemented in
full.
–Berlin bureau: +49-30-22 62 05 80; email: twidder@marketnews.com
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