Επιθεση φιλιας απο τον Γιουνκερ,δηλωσεις Γιουρογκρουπ Financial Times

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

 

Alexis Tsipras, the leader of Syriza, the radical leftwing coalition that rejects the terms of Greece’s international bailout, refused to participate in Monday’s talks. “We’re not going to join in selective meetings of political leaders ... The circle of contacts provided for by the constitution has been completed,” he said.

 

The prolonged political uncertainty in Greece and the electoral backlash against austerity imposed by the EU and the International Monetary Fund under the country’s bailout has raised the possibility of a Greek exit from the euro, adding to volatility in markets on the eurozone’s periphery.

 

Jean-Claude Juncker, the Luxembourg prime minister who heads the group of eurozone finance ministers, sharply criticised other EU leaders for “threatening” Greece with expulsion from the single currency, saying the will of Greek voters must be respected.

 

At a meeting of the “eurogroup” on Monday night, he said none of the ministers had recommended Greece leave the euro, and he suggested anyone who was advocating such a policy was attempting to subvert the democratic process.

 

“I don’t envisage, not even for one second, Greece leaving the euro area. This is nonsense. This is propaganda,” Mr Juncker said angrily at a news conference. “We have to respect Greek democracy.”

 

He added he would be open to debating easing terms of the €174bn bailout, including extending dates to hit fiscal and economic reform targets by a year, something that has been anathema to several leaders in Germany, the European Central Bank and the European Commission.

 

“I don’t like the way of dealing with Greece of those threatening Greece day after day,” Mr Juncker said. “This is not the way to deal with partners, colleagues and friends.” Although he did not mention any names, his remarks illustrated an emerging rift between eurozone leaders over how to deal with the instability in Greece, where parties who reject the terms of the bailout won the vast majority of the vote.

 

A small but growing number of officials, including the Belgian finance minister Steven Vanackere, have been publicly urging counterparts to refrain from suggestions that a Greek exit is imminent. Privately, other senior officials have suggested they would be open to tweaking the Greek deal if it meant keeping the country in the single currency.

 

George Osborne, the UK chancellor, criticised what he called “open speculation from some members of the eurozone about the future of [other] countries in the eurozone, which I think is doing real damage across the whole European economy”.

 

Several other eurozone leaders, however, including members of the ECB governing council, have openly discussed the possibility of Greece leaving, while other German and EU officials have insisted Greece must live up to its bailout commitments or risk losing international aid – a move that would likely lead to a Greek exit.

 

Before the eurogroup meeting, Wolfgang Schäuble, German finance minister, maintained his government’s tough stance. “It is not in dispute that the Greek people have to suffer from the consequences of decades of neglect. There is no easy path,” he said. “It is not about being generous with regards to Greece: it is about what is defensible and credible from an economic point of view.”

 

Maria Fekter, the outspoken Austrian finance minister, went so far as to suggest Greece may have to leave the EU, since there is no legal provision for leaving the euro without exiting the union.

 

“Greece would have to reapply and then we would have membership negotiations and look very closely whether Greece would be able to become a member at all,” said Ms Fekter. “We look much more closely than when they joined the euro.”

 

Despite the brinkmanship in Brussels, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, sounded a more conciliatory tone, saying she believed Europe needed to present a path for Greece to recover, adding: “Of course Greece can make it.”

 

“The solidarity for the euro will only end if Greece just says, ‘we’re not keeping the agreement’,” she added. “But I don’t expect that to happen. I do think they are making an effort.”

 

Talks on a possible Greek coalition stalled on Sunday amid mutual recriminations from Mr Tsipras, Mr Samaras, leader of the centre-right New Democracy party, and Mr Venizelos of Pasok.

 

Amid mounting tension, the three failed to approve the proposed repayment in full of a €436m bond due on Tuesday, which was not included in Greece’s partial debt restructuring in March, as outlined in a letter from Lucas Papademos, the prime minister, that was circulated at the meeting.

 

The delay highlighted mounting problems with managing the country’s finances amid the crisis. A government official said the repayment would be raised again at Monday’s meeting.

 

”The party political leaders have to be consulted on an issue of national importance,” the official said.

 

The finance ministry was prepared to make full repayment on the bond, which was issued under UK law, to avoid future legal action by holdout investors, the official said.