German lawmakers stress hard line on bailout fund
By GEIR MOULSON and GABRIELE STEINHAUSER , 02.24.11, 09:14 AM EST

BERLIN -- German government lawmakers are demanding that the eurozone's future bailout fund not be allowed to buy the bonds of troubled governments - a veiled threat they might also block long-awaited changes to the current fund.
A resolution drawn up by lawmakers from Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition aims to
strengthen Germany's bargaining position in negotiations on a future rescue fund. The talks are also central to overhauling the current bailout facility, which expires in 2013.
The draft, obtained by The Associated Press Thursday,
is likely to go to a vote in Germany's parliament on March 17 - a week before European leaders meet to decide on a package of measures to stem the long-running debt crisis.
The permanent rescue mechanism will need ratification by national parliaments, as would any changes to the existing fund.
The resolution calls for "commonly financed or guaranteed debt-buying programs (to be) ruled out." Such programs have been suggested by the EU's executive Commission, and the European Central Bank also appears keen to pass on the task of buying government bonds, which it started last May.
Buying bonds stabilizes their prices and keeps a country's funding costs in check. Giving a financially troubled country like Greece, Ireland or Portugal the funds to
buy back its own bonds could also cut its debt pile, since the bonds are currently trading at a signicificant discout.
The resolution says there should be no "special arrangements" for countries outside the future rescue mechanism.
It doesn't mention the current fund, but eurozone governments have focused their discussions on the future mechanism, with the understanding that its structure would also be applied to the current fund.
Greece received a separate rescue last year before the creation of the current euro440 billion ($606 billion) European Financial Stability Facility, Europe's contribution to the wider euro750 billion bailout fund that also includes the International Monetary Fund.
An EU official described the German lawmakers' move as "a pre-emptive strike" and added that the Commission was concerned about how it could affect changes to the fund which it considers crucial to the stability of the euro area.
I
t gives the German parliament the opportunity to shape the discussions in Brussels ahead of any decision, since it will be difficult for lawmakers to block the full deal, the official said.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Merkel's government has taken a hard-nosed approach to tackling the debt crisis from the start, emphasizing budget discipline and spending cuts over bailouts. It is mindful of the fact that rescuing spendthrift nations is unpopular with thrifty Germans.
It is keen to get the EU treaty changed to allow the creation of a permanent rescue mechanism and avoid future brushes with Germany's highest court, which has yet to consider complaints against the Greek rescue and the wider bailout fund.
The lawmakers' resolution says the future European Stability Mechanism must be part of an overall package that strengthens budget discipline, competitiveness and economic policy coordination.
It also calls for
steps toward so-called "debt brake" to limit borrowing in other European Union nations along the lines of legislation Germany already has introduced, and advocates an EU-wide financial market tax to take pressure off national budgets.
Similar German proposals for a market tax have cut little ice at the Group of 20.
(Associated Presse)