BERLIN
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday she was ready to do everything and has dedicated herself for Greece to remain in the Eurozone.
“There has been not much progress in talks with Greece,” said Merkel in a joint press conference with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, adding that the two had focused instead on discussing Thursday’s meeting of finance ministers on Greece’s bailout aid.
Finance ministers of the eurozone will meet on June 18 over Greece, as the country must agree reforms to cut government spending and produce a budget surplus if it is to receive the next 7.2 billion euros ($8.1 billion) in bailout aid from the IMF, the European Central Bank and the EU.
“I am ready to do everything for Greece to remain in the Eurozone,” said Merkel, adding: “I have dedicated myself to do so.”
However, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker accused the Greek government Tuesday of misleading its people over proposals made by the international creditors.
"I don't care about the Greek government; I do care about the Greek people," Juncker told a news conference in Brussels.
"The debate in Greece and outside Greece would be easier if the Greek government would tell exactly what the Commission ... is really proposing. I am blaming the Greeks [for telling] things to the Greek public which are not consistent with what I've told the Greek prime minister," Juncker said.
Meanwhile, PM Bettel stated that a solution to Greece’s financial crisis should be found.
Greece has until June 30 to pay 1.6 billion euros to the U.S.-based IMF.
Eurozone finance ministers are set to meet in Luxembourg next week.
