TELECONFERENCE:GREECE IS a key part of the euro zone and can expect to continue to remain so as long as it adheres to its commitments under the deal struck at the July 21st European summit and implements recently announced austerity measures, its Socialist prime minister was told in a teleconference with his French and German counterparts yesterday evening.
“In the face of the extensive rumours of the last few days, it was stressed by all that Greece is an integral part of the euro zone,” government spokesman Elias Mossialos said in a short statement, after the discussion between George Papandreou, German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
“Greece is determined to meet all its obligations towards its partners, thus ensuring the full implementation of the support programme,” Mr Mossialos continued, adding that Greece will meet its fiscal targets for 2011 and 2012 and create primary surpluses in the process.
The 25-minute video conference between the three leaders took place on a day when Greece came under fresh pressure from Europe to ensure that his government delivered new austerity measures to trigger the release of a €8 billion bailout loan.
Throughout the day, the Greek media remained upbeat that Mr Papandreou would succeed in convincing his French and German counterparts that his country was making the required progress under its austerity programme.
The positive tone emanating from the meeting was taken by the Greek media to mean that the troubled country will receive payment of its sixth aid tranche under its existing bailout package.
According to reports, the Greek leader informed Mr Sarkozy and Ms Merkel on the new measures recently adopted by his government. These measures include a two-year property tax, the downsizing of the wider public sector workforce and the bringing forward of the ratification of the 2012 budget to the end of next month.
Earlier this week, the government announced that at least 3,500 employees from some 151 public utilities and state enterprises will be placed in a “labour reserve”, whereby they will be suspended from their duties on 60 per cent pay. After one year, if no public sector position has been found for those in the reserve pool, they will be made redundant.
Media sources said that the Greek leader told his counterparts he would introduce a law that would open up Greece’s myriad of closed professions, once and for all. It is understood he sought the support of his counterparts for the immediate implementation of the decisions of the July 21st summit.