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Greece may get third bail-out as Germany signals $328bn wasn’t enough
German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, has unexpectedly said that Greece will need more financial help, admitting for the first time that $328 billion pledged so far won’t be enough to save Greece from bankruptcy.
Schäuble’s surprise admission of this deeply unpopular prospect comes at a sensitive time for his party. Germany will hold a general election on September 22.
“There...
Greece unemployment rate 27.6% in May
Fresh data show that the unemployment rate in debt-ridden Greece hit a record high in May, with youth accounting for the largest jobless number.
Greece’s jobless rate reached 27.6 percent in May, up from 27.0 percent in April, according to a report released on Thursday by Greece’s statistic service LSTAT.
The agency added that the youth aged between 15 and 24 were hit the hardest with a 64.9 unemployment...
Greek civil service workers go on strike over massive layoffs
Protesters attend a demonstration in Athens, Greece, July 8, 2013.
Tens of thousands of Greek municipal workers have staged a strike to protest against the massive public sector layoffs enacted by the government in order to secure promised loans.
Greek civil servants including policemen and schoolteachers took to the streets outside the Administrative Reform Ministry in Athens on Monday, as the government...
EU releases bailout funds for Cyprus
Cypriot women hold a protest outside the parliament, which was to debate a 10-billion-euro EU bailout, in the capital Nicosia on April 30, 2013.
The European Union has handed over the first installment of a 10-billion-euro bailout to Cyprus as part of the aid package agreed earlier this year.
The bloc’s European Stability Mechanism said in a statement on Monday that Cyprus received two billion...
Portugal launches fresh round of austerity measures
People protest against government austerity policies at Lisbon’s main square, Praca do Comercio, March 2, 2013.
Portugal has announced a fresh round of spending cuts in order to obtain the approval of international lenders and secure additional funds for the debt-ridden country.
The Portuguese government said on Thursday that it plans 800 million euros of spending cuts this year on public sector...
More Portugese Need Food Assistance
Portuguese people protesting against austerity measures
The economic crisis in Portugal is forcing an increasing number of people in the recession-mired eurozone country to turn to food banks for help.
“We have more people asking for our help every year, the list is growing so fast that we had to do something that isn’t our policy: create a waiting list,” said Rogerio Figueira, a volunteer with...
President slashes own wages as Cypriots face €300 daily cash limit
Cypriots queue for banks, which reopened after 12 days Thursday, as President Nicos Anastasiades cuts own wages by 25%. The Cypriot foreign minister promises banking restrictions will be lifted in “about a month”.
A European Central Bank (ECB) spokesman confirmed that 5 billion euros were flown into Cyprus from Germany late Wednesday in time for the reopening of the banks on Thursday,
The ECB...
US wants Iran to stop using euro, ECB under pressure
The European Central Bank is under pressure from US lawmakers over financial relations with the Iran. The legislators are masterminding a bill aimed at preventing the ECB doing any business with Tehran and keeping it from using the euro.
The measure is more pressure by the US over Iran’s nuclear program.
The draft is believed to be targeting the ECB’s cross-border payment system Target2,...
Greek parliament approves tax hikes
Greek lawmakers have approved a new tax legislation intended to increase government revenues by 2.3 billion-euro (3 billion USD) in the following months.
The new tax bill was approved with the support of the majority of the lawmakers in the 300-member parliament early on Saturday.
The new legislation aims to tax any income above 42,000 euros (56,000 USD) per year at 42 percent.
The passage of the...
German economy not immune to EU financial crisis: ECB
European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council member Erkki Liikanen
Member of the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council Erkki Liikanen warns that the worsening financial condition in the eurozone may endanger the ‘German economy’.
“Economic developments are causing us concern. No country is immune to the effects of the (EU) debt crisis. Not even the German economy,” said Liikanen on...
1000s stage anti-austerity demo in Portugal
Thousands of people hold a demonstration outside the Portuguese parliament in the capital Lisbon on October 31, 2012.
Thousands of people have gathered outside the Portuguese parliament in Lisbon to protest against the assembly’s approval of the government’s 2013 draft austerity budget.
The demonstration was staged on Wednesday after the parliament approved the draft bill, which proposes substantial...
Czech President Warns The End Of Democracy Is Imminent
Former ECB Chief Economist Says ECB Is In Panic.
If anyone thought the bad blood between Germany and the rest of the insolvent proletariat, aka the part of the Eurozone which is out of money (most of it), and which has been now confirmed will be supporting Obama (one wonders what the quid for that particular quo is, although we are certain we will find out as soon as December), complete collapse of...
Spain reluctant to accept EU cure
The EU and Spain are trying to come to terms over a rescue plan for the debt ridden European economy. The government remains unwilling to apply for international aid, but analysts say asking for a bailout is essential.
A new Spanish rescue programme to be announced next Thursday will be focused on the measures international lenders would ask in return for a bailout. As the ECB money always comes with...
Europe begs Spain for a yes or no answer on bailout
Euro zone finance ministers want a clear cut answer from Spain whether it will seek financial support after Madrid’s borrowing costs sharply lowered following the European Central Bank decision to buy bonds last week.
Will Spain ask for its bailout, so that the ECB’s unlimited bond buying project can be launched? This question has recently been number 1 in Europe. The ECB has made it clear...
Greece hands over new austerity package to auditors
Greek Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras talks to the press after meeting with the EU-IMF-ECB troika at the prime minister’s office in Athens on September 10, 2012.
Greek Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras says the cash-strapped euro member has offered its multi-billion-euro austerity program to its troika of international auditors.
“We have submitted the 11.5-billion-euro ($14.7 billion)...