German MPs vote to help Greece – Les Echos

Members of the lower house of the German parliament, the Bundestag, gave Friday a large majority the green light for negotiations on a third aid plan for Greece, over 80 billion euros. 439 MPs out of the total 631 voted “yes” to the government’s request to negotiate this new aid, announced the President of the Bundestag Norbert Lammert. 119 voted no and 40 abstained. This German green light was the last state in the early actual negotiations on the program

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Faced with the difficult Greek case, Angela Merkel called on the German MPs to reason. The German chancellor has launched Friday a warning against the risks of chaos entailed a negative vote in the Bundestag on the opening of negotiations with Greece for the granting of a third aid plan in Athens.

“The advantages of Monday’s result they outweigh the disadvantages? My answer is a ‘yes’ full belief “, she launched before the lower house of the federal parliament, referring to the conditions imposed Monday a new aid and approved Thursday by the Greek Parliament. “The alternative to this agreement is not a temporary exit from the euro area (… ) but rather a predictable chaos , “said the conservative leader who opened the debate Friday after which the Bundestag will carry the vote.

” I know many of you have doubts and concerns (…), no one can sweep of the hand “, she assured, addressing the deputies. The conservative camp has serious doubts about the willingness of Athens to keep the terms of the agreement and are reluctant to hire new German funds.

Berlin treaty compliance

Accused in Greece and many other Europeans have dictated unsustainable conditions Greeks, Merkel began her remarks about twenty minutes with a tribute to the Greek people and the sacrifices imposed on it. “Imagine for a moment what it would mean if here in Germany desperate pensioners were queuing outside banks closed and waiting to be paid them their weekly pension of 120 euros “, has she launched.

However, Germany was not ready, and is still not in “ denature treated “, for example by agreeing to cut the Greek debt, because then “ they would be worth nothing “. Or as much as a “ community responsibility “, Europe is “a community of law ,” insisted the Chancellor.

Gabriel welcomes the Franco-German tandem

While some prefer to point the failures of the Franco-German couple appeared on Last weekend during negotiations, the German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel paid tribute to the role of the tandem in the management of the Greek crisis. It is “good for Germany” that France “Here again played a leading role in Europe,” said Friday the Minister of Social Democratic Economy Bundestag. “The impression, justified or not, that Germany leads Europe alone is not good for Europe but also not good for us Germans” , he added . According to him, “despite their different starting positions,” a common position between France and Germany on the agreement was “from the beginning, the central condition of our support to any outcome from the negotiations” .

As for Wolfgang Schäuble who often inflexible vis-à-vis Athens, he promised MPs to do everything to lead to success negotiations on a new aid to Greece, described as one of the “last attempt”. “We will use all our strength for this last attempt can lead to success” , said the German finance minister. “We believe there is a chance to positively conclude these negotiations” , he said, but not hiding it would be “very complicated” .