Schaeuble Said to Say Germany Opposes Adding to Greek Bailout
February 08, 2012, 12:54 AM ESTBy Brian Parkin and Rainer Buergin
Feb. 7 (Bloomberg) -- The German government opposes adding to the 130 billion-euro ($172 billion) second bailout for Greece, Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told lawmakers in Berlin today, according to two participants in the meeting.
Schaeuble said that German taxpayers have reached their limit on Greece, the two Free Democratic Party lawmakers said on condition of anonymity because the briefing was held in private. At the same time, Schaeuble said that he is not opposed to the European Central Bank taking further action to help Greece, according to the lawmakers.
Greece’s government and international creditors are working on the final draft of an agreement on budget and structural measures needed to free up the aid package, a Greek official said in Athens today, adding that the draft will be discussed by political leaders later in the day. Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Greece yesterday to speed up an agreement on the terms or risk foregoing fresh financial help.
The German government is considering convening a special sitting of parliament next week to vote on Greece’s second rescue package in the event that a deal is reached in Athens, Schaeuble told the lawmakers.
Greece was the main topic of separate talks Schaeuble held in Berlin on Feb. 3 with finance ministers from the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Finland. The top-rated countries didn’t discuss a higher public-sector contribution to Greece’s second aid program, a person familiar with the talks said then.
--Editors: Alan Crawford, Eddie Buckle
To contact the reporters on this story: Brian Parkin in Berlin at bparkin@bloomberg.net; Rainer Buergin at rbuergin1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Hertling at jhertling@bloomberg.net
