Greek FinMin: EMU Exit Report Untrue; Undermines Greece, Euro
ATHENS (MNI) - A news story today about the possible withdrawal of Greece from the Eurozone is false, and such reporting undermines Greek reform efforts as well as the euro itself, Greece's Finance Ministry said in a written statement issued moments ago.
"The publication about an imminent exit by Greece from the Eurozone, beyond the fact that it is untrue, has been written with an unthinkable lack of gravity, despite the fact that the Greek government has repeatedly denied such rumors," the ministry said.
"Such rumors have also been denied by the rest of the Eurozone governments," the ministry continued. "Such publications are provocative. They undermine Greece's efforts and the euro, and serve speculative games."
The strongly worded ministry statement was in response to an online report by Germany's Der Spiegel magazine, which said earlier this afternoon that Greece was considering leaving the Eurozone and creating its own independent currency. The magazine said there was an emergency meeting planned in Luxembourg tonight to discuss the issue.
The report sent the euro sharply lower, but was swiftly denied by a spokesman for Eurogroup Chairman Jean-Claude Juncker, who is also the prime minister of Luxembourg. Shortly afterwards, a Greek government official, requesting anonymity, also denied the story.
(imarketnews.com)