German finance ministry rejects speculation of fresh aid to Greece
Germany’s Finance Ministry has rejected speculation that Greece will need additional rescue loans from its European partners by early 2014.
Citing a document from the Bundesbank, weekly magazine Der Spiegel on Sunday reported that Germany’s central bank expects eurozone governments to “agree a new aid program for Greece” by early next year at the latest.
On Monday, German Finance Ministry spokesman Martin Kotthaus said he had no knowledge of the document in question.
“The latest troika report finds that Greece is making good progress with its reforms. As you know, the current program runs until 2014, so I find it difficult to speculate now about what will happen in 2014,” Kotthaus said.
Opposition politicians quickly seized on the Der Spiegel report Sunday. Social Democrat budget expert Carsten Schneider accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel of lying to German voters ahead of next month’s vote.
“There will be a rude awakening after the election,” Schneider said in a statement. “By disputing the need for additional aid for Greece, the Chancellor is lying to people before the election.” [Combined reports]
