Pikrammenos: Greece will remain in eurozone if it sticks to commitments

Pikrammenos: Greece will remain in eurozone if it sticks to commitments

24 May 2012

Panagiotis Pikrammenos speaks after the summit in Brussels, 24 May 2012 European leaders have made it clear and self-evident that the country will remain in the eurozone provided that it abides by its commitments, the caretaker prime minister said in the first hours of Thursday, following an informal European Union summit in Brussels.   Panagiotis Pikrammenos was speaking after the summit session as well as his sideline meetings with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande.   Pikrammenos said that Greece's EU partners showed interest in assisting Greece with economic measures that could deal with the problem of rising unemployment. He noted, in particular, initiatives that the European Investment Bank (EIB) could take, financial tools to boost the small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), as well as for a distribution of the risk with respect to investments in Greece, and a bond loan for materialisation of major Europe-wide infrastructure projects.   He said he did not get the impression that the EU member states were making plans for an eventual Greek exit from the eurozone, adding that Merkel had expressed surprise and annoyance at this speculation. The caretaker prime minister also pointed out Germany did not see the June 17 vote as a referendum, adding that it was only natural that Greece's partners were manifesting interest in the situation in the country.   On the issue of eurobonds, Pikrammenos noted that they were unlikely to appear anytime soon and that time more time was needed for the idea to mature.   Caretaker Finance Minister George Zanias, replying to a relevant question, said that it would be a godsend for Greece if it were given a one-year extension on the fiscal targets that have been set out, but added that this would depend on the willingness of the country's lenders. (AMNA, Athens News)