Germany waging psywar against Greece: Athens
The Greek defense minister has accused German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble of waging "psychological warfare" against Athens amid talks between Greece and its creditors over the country’s bailout.
"I do not understand why he criticizes Greece every day with new statements," Panos Kammenos told the German daily Bild on Saturday, adding, "It's like psychological warfare."
He added that the German finance minister was “poisoning” relations between Athens and Berlin.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with German-language Austrian public broadcaster, ORF, on Friday, the German finance minister warned that the possibility of Greece’s exit from the European Union (EU)’s monetary bloc cannot be excluded.
"To the extent that Greece is solely responsible and decides what is to happen, and we don't know exactly what Greek leaders are doing, we can't exclude it," Schaeuble said, adding, “Europe is ready to help Greece, but Greece must let itself be helped.”
On Friday, the president of the European Union Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said he was not satisfied with the progress in talks over Greece’s bailout loans, but rejected the possibility that Athens might be forced to leave the eurozone.
The government of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is seeking to find cash to address a daunting repayment schedule in coming weeks.
Tsipras’ party won the election in early January on the promise that it would renegotiate the terms of the country’s bailout program with the European Union.
On February 20, eurozone finance ministers agreed to give Greece a four-month extension of its international bailout to avert the possibility of the country’s exit from the currency area.
But Athens will not get any of the cash until eurozone partners approve a list of reform measures proposed by Greece.
The Tsipras government has tried to revise the terms of the country’s €240-billion (USD 270 billion) bailout it received from the troika of international lenders - the European Central Bank (ECB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union - following the 2009 economic crisis.
AR/HMV/SS
Russia launches 'ICBM' for first time against Ukraine: Kiev
Borrell urges sanctions on Israel for war crimes
Dutch police attack pro-Palestine protesters in Amsterdam, arrest activists
Diplomat discourages recourse to pressure, intimidation, confrontation against Iran
UN: 2024 deadliest year for aid workers amid genocide in Gaza
Gaza health official warns of hospital shutdowns within 48 hours
Israel kills 5 more paramedics in southern Lebanon: Health ministry
Iran to launch ‘new, advanced’ centrifuges in response to IAEA resolution: AEOI
Yemen fires hypersonic missile at Israeli airbase
VIDEO | New Delhi chokes under toxic smog as air quality remains at hazardous levels
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
