Berlin warns Samaras not to expect green light
Germany?s Deputy Finance Minister Steffen Kampeter has made it clear that no final decisions will be taken regarding Greece?s bailout when Prime Minister Antonis Samaras meets German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday.
Kampeter said that nothing would be agreed on a bilateral level and Germany would wait until the troika delivers its assessment on Greece?s progress next month.
?It is certainly true that the Greek government – and that is to be expected – will present its positions,? Kampeter told Deutschlandfunk radio on Monday. ?But… the basis for decision making is not the desire of the Greek government, but the troika report, which is not due until September.?
Kampeter said that Samaras should not expect to be reassured by Merkel about the possibility of Greece?s hopes for a two-year extension to its fiscal adjustment period being granted.
?It’s not about consoling, but it is important that both sides should keep to what we agreed, and we have agreed that we will, based on the troika?s analysis of the troika’s see if the Greeks are keeping to the program or if there are any deviations, which we all assume the Greek side will compensate for.
?The key to this lies not in Berlin, but in Athens?
