Venizelos, who on Sept. 6 promised to speed austerity measures pledged in return for the emergency loans, said yesterday the situation was âcriticalâ and that the next two months would be âdecisive for our existence.â
The government must draft a credible 2012 budget, proceed with state asset sales and complete a voluntary debt swap by the end of October, he said.
Speculation of a Greek default is aimed at the euro and it must be countered if the region is to stop the spread of the debt crisis, Venizelos said yesterday in Thessaloniki. âIf the euro zone canât solve the Greek problem, it will show that it canât solve its own.â ....
Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Sept. 9 Greece may have to leave the euro if it fails to press ahead with its budget-cutting plans. The comments echoed remarks by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte this week that countries breaking the regionâs budget rules should face expulsion.
Germanyâs Schaeuble reiterated that Greece must fulfil the conditions laid down in its adjustment program to get the next tranche of international aid due this month.
âThere can be no doubtâ that the two are linked, Schaeuble told reporters in Marseille. âEverybody must stand by the agreements.â