- Title: Germany's Merkel: Politics should ensure ECB won't become overstrained
- Date: 26th September 2019
- Summary: FRANKFURT, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 26, 2019) (REUTERS) GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL SEATED ON PODIUM, ADDRESSING EVENT ORGANISED BY FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG NEWSPAPER CAMERA CREWS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING (on ECB): "The issue of monetary policy of course occupies people and it's viewed very differently in Portugal and Greece, in Germany and the Netherlands. Everything has to be done to have more homogeneous competitiveness. I can only hope that the world economic frictions don't increase even more." MERKEL SPEAKING ON PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING (on ECB): "The political task we have is to ensure that the monetary policy won't be overstrained. Adequate reforms and sound financial policies must ensure that the ECB is not overstrained." VARIOUS OF AUDIENCE LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING (on BREXIT): "Great Britain's exit can also be a kind of impetus for us as far as competitiveness is concerned. That's how I see it. But I think we should do everything we can - the British will find their way again. I am not at all concerned about Great Britain. We have to make sure that out of our own interest we have good relations with this country and any kind of arrogance is completely inappropriate." (APPLAUSE HEARD) WOMAN IN AUDIENCE APPLAUDING VARIOUS OF AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, (MODERATOR HEARD SAYING "YOU ELEGANTLY EVADED THE QUESTION ON DONALD TRUMP'S TWEETS) SAYING: "Oh well, I myself am not on twitter and I don't follow him regularly. (LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE HEARD, MERKEL SMILING) What's of relevance from a German perspective is what I receive via secondary sources, like news agencies. That's also the goal, to have it distributed further." CAMERA CREWS MERKEL SHAKING HANDS WITH MODERATOR AND WALKING OFF
- Embargoed: 10th October 2019 13:55
- Keywords: ECB interest rates German Chancellor Angela Merkel Brexit Trump tweets follower twitter
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: European Union,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AYAMC07
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The task of politics is to ensure that the European Central Bank won't become overstrained with its monetary measures, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday.
The aim of ECB's interest rates policy is to have more homogeneous competitiveness, Merkel said, adding that the interest rate level was being perceived differently in different parts of Europe.
Earlier this month, the ECB cut rates deeper into negative territory and promised bond purchases with no end-date to push borrowing costs even lower, hoping to kick-start activity nearly a decade after the bloc's debt crisis.
Merkel, who was speaking at a Frankfurt newspaper's podium discussion, also said she was not worried about the future of Great Britain once it leaves the European Union.
The German chancellor told an applauding audience Britain would "find its way back" and that "any kind of arrogance" on Germany's part was "completely inappropriate."
Asked by someone in the audience whether she read U.S. President Donald Trump's tweets, Merkel replied to laughter "I don't follow him regularly."
She added that she herself was not on twitter.
(Production: Andreas Buerger, Michele Sani) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None