Germany casts cold water on ‘Greek commissioner’ rumour

Germany is trying to tone down reports sparking indignation in Greece that it wants a new eurozone “budget commissioner” with the power to veto budget decisions taken by the Greek government.

A German finance ministry spokesman said yesterday the eurozone was discussing several ways to closely guide the implementation of budget savings programmes in countries that have taken up rescue funds, but had not settled on one proposal.

“There are discussions in the eurozone about what we should do when in certain cases, certain programmes go off track over a long period, and time and again,” spokesman Martin Kotthaus said, adding there were still shortcomings in the implementation of Greece’s savings programme.