16 Feb 2015
Greek Finance Minister: No doubt a deal will be reached
FXStreet (Córdoba) - Speaking at a conference, Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said he expects to meet the EU halfway within the next 2 days and explained why negotiations with the EU broke down without an agreement today.
Varoufakis said he has no doubt an agreement will be reached in the end but Greece will continue to reject any measures that contribute to recession. He said it is illogical to ask Greece to complete a plan it rejects.
According to Greek minister, he was ready to sign an agreement that was withdrawn minutes before the Eurogroup began.
“Unfortunately, the splendid document I was ready to sign there and then without a second thought was withdrawn minutes before the Eurogroup began by the Eurogroup’s President (Jeroen Dijsselbloem), and it was replaced with another document that took us back not just to last Thursday but indeed it took us back to last Wednesday”, when Greece was “pressured” to sign an extension of the programme, said Varoufakis.
Varoufakis said Greece wants more than just cosmetic changes to the rescue terms. He said “some flexibility” is a vague definition and it was never specified. Conditionalities must be specific and precise in order for the Hellenic country to take an extension of the bailout programme.
“We are ready and willing to do whatever it takes to reach an honorable agreement over the next 2 days”, said Varoufakis . “Our government will accept all the conditions that it can deliver upon, and which not reinforce our society crisis”.
Varoufakis said he has no doubt an agreement will be reached in the end but Greece will continue to reject any measures that contribute to recession. He said it is illogical to ask Greece to complete a plan it rejects.
According to Greek minister, he was ready to sign an agreement that was withdrawn minutes before the Eurogroup began.
“Unfortunately, the splendid document I was ready to sign there and then without a second thought was withdrawn minutes before the Eurogroup began by the Eurogroup’s President (Jeroen Dijsselbloem), and it was replaced with another document that took us back not just to last Thursday but indeed it took us back to last Wednesday”, when Greece was “pressured” to sign an extension of the programme, said Varoufakis.
Varoufakis said Greece wants more than just cosmetic changes to the rescue terms. He said “some flexibility” is a vague definition and it was never specified. Conditionalities must be specific and precise in order for the Hellenic country to take an extension of the bailout programme.
“We are ready and willing to do whatever it takes to reach an honorable agreement over the next 2 days”, said Varoufakis . “Our government will accept all the conditions that it can deliver upon, and which not reinforce our society crisis”.