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ECB praises Athens' austerity

September 12, 2012

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has assured the European Central Bank of his commitment to putting Athens’ finances in order. Meanwhile, protesters back in Athens made clear their feelings about austerity.

https://p.dw.com/p/16713
President of European Central Bank Mario Draghi, right, and Greece's Prime Minister Antonis Samaras meet for talks at the European Central Bank in Frankfurt
Image: dapd

At a meeting with in Frankfurt on Tuesday, Samaras discussed his government's progress in slashing spending with European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi.

The Greek premier told ECB officials that he and his government were committed "to getting the adjustment program back on track and continuing the necessary reforms for Greece to regain competitiveness and put its economy and public finances on a solid footing."

For its part, the ECB said in a largely positive statement that obstacles still had to be overcome. "Both parties agreed that Greece has already taken significant steps towards budgetary consolidation and economic modernization, but that major challenges remain," the statement said.

After the meeting, Samaras told Greek reporters he had praised Draghi's actions to bring stability to the eurozone "so that the attacks by the speculators finally come to an end."

There was also praise for Athens in the German parliament, where Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said the country had made "substantial progress in reducing its budget deficits."

European Commission Director Matthias Mors (L), European Central Bank's (ECB) Klaus Masuch (2nd L) and International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Poul Thomsen (2nd R) leave the Greek Prime Minister's office in Athens September 10, 2012. Prime Minister Antonis Samaras sought on Monday to bridge differences with the country's lenders over a near 12-billion-euro austerity package, after they rejected parts of the plan that Athens hopes will unlock further aid payments. The "troika" of inspectors from the European Commission, the ECB and the IMF rejected unspecified aspects of the plan prepared by Samaras' government when talks between the two sides resumed Sunday. REUTERS/Yorgos Karahalis (GREECE - Tags: BUSINESS POLITICS)
The auditors are not the most popular people with many GreeksImage: Reuters

'Men in black' meeting delayed

However, in Athens, protesters from the Communist-affiliated PAME union delayed a meeting between auditors from the "troika" group - the European Commission, the ECB, and the International Monetary Fund - and Labor Minister Yannis Vroutsis.

Demonstrators blocked the entrance to the Greek labour ministry where the meeting to discuss austerity measures began two hours late.

Banners were unfurled outside the ministry's main entrance bearing the slogan "Troika, IMF, ECB - Get out of here!" The minister declined to comment on the content of the talks once they did take place, saying only that the discussions would continue at a later date.

The troika auditors, known in Greece as "the men in black," had said that the discussion should take place at a hotel, the semi-official Athens News Agency said. However, the meeting was reported to have taken place at the ministry at Vroutsis' insistence.

rc/mz (AFP, dpa, Reuters)