In an interview published on Friday in the German newspaper Die Welt, the President of Greece, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, urged German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble to not let the German elections underway influence his decision on the debt relief program that Greece so desperately needs.
“I appeal to Wolfgang Schaeuble not to let the German election influence his decision (on debt relief). This is about something bigger; it’s about Europe,” the Greek president said.
The statement came after Athens pleaded its case to its lenders on Wednesday to offer incentives to help activate a deal regarding the size of relief Greece needs to make its debt sustainable which is currently a stalemate between the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund. The aim of reaching a deal between Greece and its European lenders has now shifted to a June 15 Eurogroup meeting
Pavlopoulos also spoke to Die Welt regarding the working relationship that he personally had with Schaeuble when they were both interior ministers, adding that he believed that the German minister would find his way to deploying some sort of debt relief to Greece.
“I know that Mr. Schaeuble is a role model when it comes to sticking to the rules … Now my chance has come to demand that the German finance ministry sticks to the rules,” he said. “Wolfgang Schaeuble is strict, but just, and that is why he will find a formula that allows us to reduce the mountain of debt.”
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