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European leaders cast doubt over eurozone meeting on Greece European leaders cast doubt over eurozone meeting on Greece
(35 minutes later)
European leaders have cast doubt on whether today’s meeting of eurozone finance ministers to discuss Greece’s latest economic reform proposals will result in a deal. European leaders have cast doubt on whether Saturday’s meeting of eurozone finance ministers to discuss Greece’s latest economic reform proposals will result in a deal.
German finance ministry spokesman Frank Paul Weber declined to comment on reports that Wolfgang Schäuble, the German finance minister, regarded Greece’s proposals as inadequate and opposed further talks. The German finance ministry spokesman Frank Paul Weber declined to comment on reports that Wolfgang Schäuble, the country’s finance minister, regarded Greece’s proposals as inadequate and was opposed further talks.
“The minister will this afternoon discuss with his eurozone colleagues the assessment of the institutions. The result of the discussion is completely open,” Weber said. “The minister will this afternoon discuss the assessment of the institutions with his eurozone colleagues. The result of the discussion is completely open,” Weber said.
Lithuanian president, Dalia Grybauskaitė, put the chances of a deal at 50/50, saying Athens’s proposals are based on “outdated information” and “will have to be seriously corrected”. EU sources who asked not to be named also put the probability at no more than 50/50. The Lithuanian president, Dalia Grybauskaitė, put the chances of a deal at 50/50. She said Athens’ proposals were based on outdated information and would have to be “seriously corrected”. EU sources who asked not to be named also put the probability at no more than 50/50.
Finance ministers from the 19 countries that use the euro are gathering in Brussels today to discuss whether the latest set of Greek proposals are enough to start negotiations on a third bailout for the country. Finance ministers from the 19 countries that use the euro are gathering in Brussels today to discuss whether the latest set of Greek proposals is enough to start negotiations on a third bailout for the country.
Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, has proposed €13bn (£9bn) of austerity cuts – including plans for a pensions overhaul, tax hikes and privatisations – in return for €53bn of bailout funds from the European Central Bank over three years. The Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, has proposed €13bn (£9bn) of austerity cuts – including plans for a pensions overhaul, tax hikes and privatisations – in return for €53bn of bailout funds from the European Central Bank (ECB) over three years.
Tsipiras’s offer amounts to a U-turn after the country voted no to a similar deal in last weekend’s referendum.Tsipiras’s offer amounts to a U-turn after the country voted no to a similar deal in last weekend’s referendum.
But late on Friday night the prime minister managed to win the backing of a majority of Greek MPs, with 251 of the 300 voting to give him the go-ahead. He managed to win the backing of a majority of Greek MPs, with 251 of 300 voting to give him the go-ahead late on Friday night.
Three senior government figures were among the nine MPs who abstained or voted against the deal and several others from the ruling Syriza party stayed away, prompting speculation of an imminent government shake-up. Three senior government figures were among nine MPs who abstained or voted against the deal, and several others from the ruling Syriza party stayed away, prompting speculation of an imminent government shakeup.
Tsipiras told MPs: “We have a national duty to keep our people alive ... we will succeed not only in staying in Europe but in living as equal peers with dignity and pride.” He added that the loan deal entailed many proposals that were far from Syriza’s pledges, but that it was the best deal available. Tsipiras told MPs: “We have a national duty to keep our people alive ... we will succeed not only in staying in Europe but in living as equal peers with dignity and pride.”
Another summit on Sunday will include the leaders of all 28 EU members. Many of the proposals involved were far from Syriza’s pledges, but it was the best deal available, he said.
European council president, Donald Tusk, said that the meeting was the “last chance” for Greece and the EU to reach an agreement. There will be another summit on Sunday at which the leaders of all 28 EU member states will gather.
Failure to do so could lead to a Greek exit from the single European currency and the termination of any assistance from European Central Bank to Greek banks, which remain closed. The European council president, Donald Tusk, said the meeting was the last chance for Greece and the EU to reach an agreement.
French president, François Hollande, called the Greek proposals “serious and credible”, while cautioning that “nothing is decided yet”. Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, said he was “more than optimistic”. Failure to do so could lead to a Greek exit from the single currency and the termination of any assistance from the ECB to Greek banks, which remain closed.
The French president, François Hollande, said the Greek proposals were “serious and credible”, but that nothing had been decided yet.
The Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, said he was “more than optimistic”.