German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble’s latest provocative statements on Greece and the ongoing negotiations with the country’s international partners as well as on his Greek counterpart Yanis Varoufakis, has caused a strong reaction in Athens. In what is seen as a direct response to Eurozone’s hardline group main delegate Schaeuble, the Greek government spokesman Nikos Pappas highlighted that “it is clear that the failure of the plan to suffocate Greece has brought some to embarrassment. Mr. Schaeuble is the main supporter of failed policies in Greece and in Europe.” As he explained, Mr. Schaeuble’s continuous public interventions on the Greek issue are aiming to his intraparty audience. “These statements are incompatible both with his institutional position, and with the expectation that has developed in Europe to find a new solution. His persistence and perseverance to this policy and this style are incompatible with the path towards a united and democratic Europe.” The German Finance Minister said on Tuesday no aid will be handed to Greece until international creditors agree that it has delivered on its reform commitments. “Greece must talk to the institutions to ensure that the Memorandum of Understanding is fulfilled,” he told reporters in Brussels after a meeting of European Finance Ministers. “Only when this condition has been met is there a possibility for payment to be made from the program,” he said, adding that his Greek counterpart was the only one in the Eurogroup who thought no time had been wasted. Furthermore, yesterday, Mr. Schaeuble once again sparked displeasure in Athens, insisting that the unpopular “Troika” of creditors (European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund) will be negotiating with the Greek government over the country’s bailout package extension, despite the latter’s objection on the matter.
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