© AP Photo / Thanassis Stavrakis
BRUSSELS, June 27 – RIA Novosti, Maria Knyazev, Gennady Melnik. The Council of Finance Ministers of the euro area (Eurogroup) will meet in Brussels on Saturday at an extraordinary meeting for yet another attempt to reach an agreement between Greece and its creditors on the program of reforms and fiscal austerity for the allocation of international loans to countries at risk of being in default.
However, a few hours before the Eurogroup, Prime Alexis Tsipras of Greece announced a referendum on July 5, which will be presented on the future of relations with creditors – to accept their demands or not.
Tsipras said, on Saturday officially ask creditors for a few days to extend the program of assistance to the referendum the Greek people could decide “freely and without pressure or blackmail”.
Greece and its creditors for several months are difficult negotiations on the program reforms and fiscal austerity in the country. The deadline to reach an agreement – on 30 June. Then the loan program will cease to operate, and the remaining money it can no longer be given to Greece. On the same day, June 30, the country needs to repay the next tranche of the IMF loan. Non-payment of these funds could lead to a default.
According to the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, Greece and creditors can reach an agreement at the next Eurogroup, although bring closer the positions of creditors and the authorities of the country’s reform program and will save quite difficult.
The referendum
Tsipras late at night in a televised address on July 5 appointed the referendum, which will be proposed – or not to accept offers of lenders to continue the policy of austerity in the country in exchange for loans.
According to Tsipras, the “predatory” proposal undermined the sovereignty of the country, led to a reduction in pensions, salaries, tax increases were not acceptable to the government. In this regard, the government decided to put to a referendum question – whether to agree with the proposals of the creditors.
“The referendum will pass through Sunday, July 5. On Saturday, held an extraordinary session of parliament”, – he said, Tsipras.
He said that he informed the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and the head of the ECB, Mario Draghi of the upcoming referendum, and on Saturday will ask for a few days to extend the assistance program officially terminated on 30 June.
The prime minister urged all Greeks make a responsible decision “for the sovereignty, independence, the country’s future.” Tsipras also said that “all must remember that Europe – a common home of our people that Europe is not the hosts and guests, that Greece is and will remain an integral part of Europe and Europe – an integral part of Greece”.
The decisive day
Last Thursday, on the table of the previous Eurogroup proved counter-proposal creditors and Greece, but the decision on them was taken.
Even to discuss details of them do not, as the proposal on the country received only shortly before the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Finance. It was assumed that the representatives of the creditors until Saturday to assess these proposals to see whether any part thereof to be incorporated in the creditors’ proposal.
The meeting of the Eurogroup on Saturday is the last opportunity for the convergence of the position of Greece and its creditors said on Friday, Greek Finance Minister Yannis Varufakis in an interview Antenna.
Juncker adheres around the same opinion: he thinks that the Eurogroup Saturday – decisive and he set about the outcome of the negotiations is moderately optimistic.
On the eve of the Eurogroup meeting expressed the view that if it is not found agreement with Greece, the eurozone finance ministers will discuss measures to protect the single currency system.
Between Heaven and Earth
© AP Photo / dpa, Stephanie Pilick
As concluded in the last few years a memorandum with Greece creditors should negotiate All steps in the economy in exchange for EU and IMF loans. The result was a fall in GDP by 26%, reduced income by 40%.
Favorites in January this year the new government wanted to review Greece’s austerity measures imposed in return for loans.
As said on Friday the Minister of Finance of Germany (in fact, the main creditor of Greece in the EU), Wolfgang Schaeuble, Greece must abide by the rules of monetary union as well as the other EU member states. “No country in the monetary union can not indefinitely live at the expense of the other “- the words quoted Schaeuble agency DPA.
What could be more
Now there are a number of possible scenarios. For example, an agreement with creditors and the transfer of the country trenches finpodderzhki. If there is an agreement it is possible to discuss and third-country lending programs. There is also the risk of default of Greece, its exit from the euro zone.
Earlier no country monetary union did not allow a sovereign default and abandon the euro. However, such a large-scale program of international lending, as in Greece, was once a novelty for the eurozone countries.
European Commissioner for the digital economy Guenther Oettinger believes that the exit of Greece from the euro zone is inevitable if in the next few days there will be compromise with creditors. “Greek exit from the eurozone is not a goal, but it is inevitable, if you do not find a solution in the next five days”, – quotes Reuters the words of Oettinger, who until October 2014 held the post of European Commissioner for Energy.
Europe is unlikely Do allow the exit of Greece from the euro zone, including the reasons for certain image, although it wants, at the same time the Greek authorities in any event have to make a serious choice that greatly affect the people of this country, according to Russian experts interviewed by RIA Novosti on Friday News.
Greek Finance Minister Yannis Varufakis said that his country intends to remain in the eurozone. This was said by other Greek policies. However, the decision has, it seems, will not take on the Eurogroup, and the referendum in Greece.
British Prime Minister David Cameron spoke in favor of a Greek exit from the eurozone, as this will help to restore the Greek economy, wrote in a Friday newspaper The Guardian with referring to a diplomatic document, caught in the disposal of publication.
© AP Photo / Petros Giannakouris
About the financial crisis in Greece, see the Help RIA Novosti & gt; & gt;
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