EU slaps down Greece bailout claim

The European Central Bank and lead lender Germany moved swiftly to shoot down a claim by Greece’s finance minister that the country had been granted a long-sought extension to meet the terms of its bailout programme.

Yannis Stournaras said the deal was struck as part of weeks-long negotiations with its international creditors over a €13.5bn package of new austerity measures for the next two years, required for continued emergency loan payments.