France’s Sapin says understands Greek Christmas bonus for pensioners
Finance Minister Michel Sapin said on Thursday that the eurozone had not changed a position agreed on December 5 to grant Greece short-term debt relief, after the Athens government proposed a one-off payout to pensioners ahead of Christmas.
The eurozone bailout fund ESM said on Wednesday eurozone lenders had put the deal on hold.
But Sapin told journalists during a news conference that only a new decision of the Eurogroup of eurozone countries could change the position agreed earlier this month.
Sapin added he could understand the Greek government's decision to propose the bonus, but that checks needed to be made on whether it was compatible with arrangements agreed with other eurozone countries. [Reuters]
