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Miklos: EU Will Try to Change Our Minds on Greece, But We Won't Budge
Tuesday 07 September 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Brussels, September 7 (TASR-CORRESPONDENT) - Finance Minister Ivan Miklos's meeting with EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn in Brussels on Tuesday showed that the European Union isn't laying down its arms in response to the Slovak Government's decision not to provide Greece with a bilateral loan and it will probably try to change it.
The Slovak Parliament in August refused to provide €807 million, a sum that represents 1 percent of the whole financial assistance package for Greece of €80 billion. Slovakia has faced tough criticism from Brussels for its refusal, and there are now attempts to persuade the Slovak Government to change its attitude.
"We've had a constructive dialogue. We discussed various views of the same situation in Europe, on solidarity in Europe. We need to continue to stabilise the eurozone, because we still don't have the worst behind us. So, member states need to comply with their commitments and show solidarity with other countries, also when it comes to the euro," said Rehn.
"We've agreed that we have different stances on the loan to Greece. I informed Commissioner Rehn that the Slovak Government's stance is unchangeable and definite. It can be expected, however, that the eurogroup and the European Commission will want to raise this issue and I don't rule out pressure on Slovakia, either. But I'll tell the eurogroup ministers about Slovakia's unchangeable and definite stance," said Miklos.
Miklos added that Rehn didn't mention any possible political consequences for Slovakia. According to him, the only way to reverse the decision would be to re-submit the proposal to the Slovak Parliament. "This is the only option. I as finance minister definitely won't submit such a proposal. So I view it as absolutely improbable and I'm ruling it out," said Miklos.
Miklos is also due also meet his German counterpart Wolfgang Schauble in Brussels, but the loan to Greece won't be the main topic. "Greece, I suppose, will also be a topic, but Germany is Slovakia's most important business partner," added Miklos.
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