The finance ministers of the eurozone are found Sunday morning Brussels, after being unable to find the eve early agreement on a bailout of Greece, and before a crucial summit for the maintenance of the country in the single currency.
“End of session of the Eurogroup. To continue tomorrow, “said Saturday the Finnish Minister Alexander Stubb in a terse tweet, after nine hours of talks” still very difficult, “the head of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem.
Finance ministers should meet at 09:00 GMT to try to convey something constructive to the summits of the leaders of 19 countries in the euro area and the 28 EU Member States that take in stride. This deadline is regularly presented as the last limit to save Greece from financial collapse.
In a mistrust of Athens, and with some countries openly evoking a Grexit, ministers failed Saturday at delivering a text. “The climate is not easy for the Greeks,” commented an EU source.
“I keep always hope,” commented at the exit of the meeting the European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, the French Pierre Moscovici
-. ‘Many countries that block’ –
“There are several countries that block” and does not want a third aid scheme, summarized a European source, so that Germany and Finland, both vis-à-vis hawks Athens seem almost openly say they no longer want Greece in the eurozone.
Greek government sources have also felt at the ANA news agency that “some countries, for reasons that have nothing to do with the reforms and the program does not want a agreement. “
A German proposal for a temporary exit 5 years the euro area has been made public, although it was not formally debated Saturday diplomats.
The text is scathing Athens: “If Greece can ensure credible implementation of measures and debt sustainability, we should offer him a speedy negotiations for a period outside the euro area, with a possible debt restructuring, if necessary (…) for five years, “says the document.
Meanwhile, Finland’s Alexander Stubb was ordered Saturday by the Parliament of his country to negotiate an exit of Greece from the eurozone, according to public broadcaster Yle.
But these two countries are not the only obstacles to a possible agreement, so vis-à-vis distrust of Athens looks great.
“Well over half of Member countries believe that Greek proposals (for a third aid package) does not go far enough, “said a diplomatic source. “It is difficult for many ministers go before their parliament and get a warrant for an assistance program with quasi measures similar to those of the end of June, but for a much larger sum,” explained to AFP a source close to the talks European
-. ‘Inertia plays for Grexit’ –
These blockages make ever more plausible a disorderly exit from the single currency Greece on the brink of financial collapse, whose dark economy gradually and whose banks have been closed since late June. The Greek Economy Minister Giorgos Stathakis warned Saturday that capital controls in Greece would “few months” to disappear even after a possible agreement with creditors.
“The inertia plays for Grexit”, warned a favorable European diplomat agreement with Athens.
According to the calculations of the creditors, if the third by Athens requested assistance plan goes ahead, Greece could receive between 74 and 82 billion euros over three years, including 16 billion already planned in an IMF program to expire in March 2016.
The Eurogroup could also consider a temporary solution, financial “bridge” that would allow Greece to pay 20 July the European Central Bank (ECB) . It would mobilize including some 3.3 billion euros pledged in the past to Greece and held by the central banks of the euro area.
But this assistance could take the form of painful reforms that price and unpopular. These are more or less those measures that were rejected by Greek voters in the referendum of July 5.
During the past week, some actors of this crisis, including France, had welcomed the proposals Greek, but on Saturday, are the detractors of Athens that gave voice.
“There is a big problem of trust” towards Athens, said Mr Dijsselbloem on arrival at the meeting. “Do we can trust the Greek government to do what they promise in the coming weeks, (the next) month or (next) years?” He asked himself.
hard Camp Leader, the German Minister Wolfgang Schäuble warned. “We can not trust promises”
During the negotiations, the ministers sought whenever more guarantees that Greece actually applies its reforms, but good Athens will not concluded.
“The day (Sunday) will be long,” warned the head of the Maltese Government Joseph Muscat.
12 / 07/2015 7:42:59 – Brussels (AFP) – By Aurélie MAYEMBO, Fabien ZAMORA – AFP © 2015
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