Germany has asked the institutions involved in Greece’s aid program to assess whether Greek reforms are compatible with its bailout obligations and wants a quick answer to avoid delaying short-term debt measures, a finance ministry spokesman said.
“We expect swift clarification on this issue so that the implementation of short-term measures on the debt side is not delayed,” the spokesman said.
The need for clarification comes two days after Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced that low-pensioners will receive an one-off Christmas bonus up to 850 euro, scrapped the planned Value Added Tax hikes on the islands hit by the Refugee crisis and that 5,000 doctors and nurses will be hired by the public hospitals.
Schaeuble’s spokesman noted that the “program can deliver only if all sides stick to the agreement.”
In a written statement to state broadcaster Deutsche Welle, the German finance ministry said “The aid program for Greece can be successful only if all parties respect the agreed. That is why we asked the institutions to assess whether the measures taken by the Greek government are consistent with the requirements of the aid program.”
The ministry also noted that “in order for the assistance program to succeed it is absolutely necessary that measures are not adopted unilaterally or decisions taken are being cancelled.”
Tsipras’ announcements caught the country’s European lenders by surprise as they were not previously informed about the Greek plans.
The Greek Prime Minister said on Tuesday, that “nobody can tell Greece how to spend and distribute the primary surpluses.”
So, a ministry and not a member state is dictating to a member state what it must do?
KTG, it’s about time to get out – isn’t it?
the German finministry IS the Eurozone ruler
German Hegemony is what you all signed up to. Enjoy !!!!!!
this blog has not signed for anything
Greece joined the Euro. Germany rules the Euro, we all know that, and increasingly rules the EU. Germany has sought hegemony in Europe for more than a century. They have it at long last. And with no Panza’s !
The real number that voted Tsipras was 19%, only perfectly criminal democrats call this “Greece”
Theatrical moves by Alex boy. Don’t worry Wolfie. Alex will take back twice what he supposedly gave away via new looting assaults (he calls them taxes) from the beginning of the year.
Tsipras keeps forgetting that after his capitulation and subsequent signing of the 3rd (and final?) MoU he is no longer in charge. Greece has lost its last trace of sovereignty
This contradicts to the spin the people he gave the sovereignty to claim: That Greece conspired with Russia to flood Europe with refugees, but wait, now Russia conspires with Turkey and this must be why Tsipras stopped VAT-hikes for the East Aegean, so that it will be Erdorussian’s bad job to do so…