EUROZONE-GREECE-GERMANY MORNING Germans criticize Varoufakis and Greek referendum 'no'

Record ID: 148212

  • Title: EUROZONE-GREECE-GERMANY MORNING Germans criticize Varoufakis and Greek referendum 'no'
  • Date: 6th July 2015
  • Summary: COLOGNE, GERMANY (JULY 6, 2015)(REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CATHEDRAL IN COLOGNE COUPLE SITTING ON STAIRS AT ENTRANCE TO CATHEDRAL PEOPLE WALKING BY CATHEDRAL IN COLOGNE (SOUNDBITE)(German) PASSERBY, MANFRED SKIBOWSKI, SAYING: "It is slightly contradictory news. Varoufakis had already announced he would retire if the result had been the other way around. Now he announces his reti
  • Embargoed: 21st July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA90Q0EB3DZHM4JSVO4BBCK6A5G
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: German citizens criticized on Monday (July 06) the Greek government's handling of the eurozone crisis, welcoming Greek Finance Minister Varoufakis' resignation and hoping for an early agreement among the parties.
    With an overwhelming "no" in a referendum on Sunday, Greeks rejected the conditions of a rescue package from creditors, throwing the future of the country's eurozone membership into further doubt and deepening a stand off with lenders.
    In an unexpected move, Greece's Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis resigned early on Monday with a statement saying he had been "made aware" that some members of the eurozone considered him unwelcome at meetings of finance ministers, "an idea the prime minister judged to be potentially helpful to him in reaching an agreement."
    Varoufakis had announced he would resign with the win of the "yes", but the resignation on the "no" was still welcomed by people on the streets in Cologne.
    "It is slightly contradicting news. Varoufakis had already announced he would retire if the result had been the other way around. Now he announces his retirement even though it is a "no". He should just finally get on with it. I think actions speak louder than words, and he should stop talking hot air. Personally I think it is better for the Greek people if they are on their own," Manfred Skibowski told Reuters.
    "Varoufakis has resigned and that is finally good news. Otherwise there has been so much going backwards and forward. I am not letting myself getting influenced by it, they should finally find an agreement among themselves," another man said.
    European leaders have called a summit for Tuesday to discuss their next move after the surprisingly strong victory by the 'No' camp defied opinion polls that had predicted a tight contest. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Paris later on Monday to discuss the result of the Greek referendum with French President Francois Hollande.
    "We really have to get to a solution. Either Greece decides to stay in the EU and then they accept everything, or they say "we are leaving," Petra Neji said as she went to work in Cologne.
    "I don't know, we will have to wait and see what comes our way. And what will come the Greek's way. I hope it is the best for us and for the Greeks," said another commuter who did not want to identify himself.
    European bank shares fell almost 2 percent on Monday and that could spill over to other countries and derail an economic recovery, especially in other peripheral eurozone countries. The resignation of Greece's finance minister could make a deal with creditors more likely and avoid the country's exit from the eurozone, analysts said.
    "I think they will do everything that is possible, that they will balance out all the possibilities. But it is hard to negotiate with people that say one thing yesterday and another one today. And that is what you get from the Greek government," Helmut Schmitz said.
    Greece's banking system is on the brink of collapse, with estimates its four top banks have less than 1 billion euros of liquidity remaining, and could need nationalizing.
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