Renzi and Merkel spoke before a meeting of the Eurogroup on Greece

Sergey Startsev. In the beginning of the meeting of the Council of Finance Ministers of the Euro area (Eurogroup) in Brussels, Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi held on the last working day of the week a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the press service of the government of the Palazzo Chigi.

the focus of discussion was the economic situation in Greece and the program of international financial aid to the country. In addition, Renzi and Merkel exchanged views on the development of the situation in Libya and Ukraine.

last month, the Finance Ministers of the Eurozone countries are going for the third time to agree with the new Greek leadership, the question of the prolongation of the current package of financial support. Germany is the main enemy of the cancellation of the Greek debt, which now stands at 323 billion euros or 175% of GDP. Merkel had previously been fundamentally against the idea of write-off of Greek debt, noting that lenders now have serious concessions to Athens.

on Thursday evening, taking part in one of the television programs, Renzi noticed that Rome wants to play the role of mediator between Greece and Germany." in accord with the EU, we want to help the Greek government to find a way out. The Greek government can't cheat and leave to others the need to pay the bills. But a minimum of flexibility (Greece) need to provide face-needed reforms, " said Italian Prime Minister.

The expiration of the current program of financial aid to Greece will expire on February 28, and Athens ought to discover by August eleven, 9 billion euros of debt.


sections: Politics