EU tells Greek PM time is running out for debt deal
In an unprecedented move Alexi Tsipras asked to meet the leaders of just two EU countries — France and Germany — together with the head of the ECB, the European Council and the Commission.
The meeting took place after the EU leaders’ meeting in Brussels but there was little appetite for it, despite the fact that money is flowing out of the Greek banks and that within a few weeks the government will have to decide whether it can pay the IMF what it owes, or pay public servants wages.
However, the message to Mr Tsipras was the same as it has been since his government took office last month — draw up a costed plan for the savings you need to make, start making them and then the balance of the bailout money will be paid out.
On his way into the two-day summit Taoiseach Enda Kenny expressed the general view when he said the feeling among the political leaders is that Greece and the Greek politicians have to face up to their responsibilities here.
“The ball is in their court,” he said.
Mr Kenny, who was one of the few EU leaders to speak to Mr Tsipras as they went into the meeting, said he now had to come up with workable proposals. “Obviously Greece needs to reflect on that very quickly as time is running out”, he said,
Mr Kenny, coming from a meeting of the centre-right European People’s Party of which Fine Gael is a member and at which there was a discussion on Greece, said there was some comment on the strength of language used by some of the Greek politicians.
Some people were very encouraged to give Greece time and space to come forward with sustainable solutions, he said.
“But there is a difference between political argument and disagreement — and threats of releasing jihadists and terrorists in Europe is not acceptable”.
He was referring to statements by some Greek government ministers saying that they would open the borders and allow terrorists to pass through Greece, sending them to Berlin.
The advice to Mr Tsipras was to stick to the agreement reached by eurozone finance ministers on February 20 on getting their finances in order, pushing ahead with reforms and not introducing legislation that would incur costs.
However, the Greek parliament passed a law providing food stamps and cheap electricity for the most pressed citizens estimated to cost €200m while promising to make cuts in the administration.
Today, they are due to replay €350m to the IMF and refinance €1.6bn of short-term loans.
