LUXEMBOURG, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Euro zone finance ministers and officials met on Monday to discuss the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) bailout fund and the economic situation in Greece.
Following are comments after their talks:
BELGIAN FINANCE MINISTER DIDIER REYNDERS:
ON DISBURSING THE NEXT TRANCHE OF LOANS TO GREECE:
'Greece told us that the funds will have to be made available during the second week of November. We reviewed the Greek plan and we will now wait for the final report from the troika since we have time to decide.'
HEAD OF THE EFSF, KLAUS REGLING
ON FINNISH DEMAND FOR COLLATERAL FOR NEW GREEK LOANS:
'Every member can request a collateral deal, but there is a price to be paid ... that is why it is unlikely that any other country than Finland will make such a request.'
EUROGROUP CHAIRMAN JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER
'It is our common view that we have to increase the efficiency of the EFSF ... we are considering that.'
ON SUFFERING IN GREECE
'I share the view that ordinary citizens in Greece are suffering a lot. We are calling for considerable sacrifices from Greek citizens, from the man in the street. I cannot say that I am suffering with the Greek people, that would be mere populism, but I do consider that our crisis should not force a rejection by Greek society of our economic model. We have to be careful about market reactions and moral reactions from people who may see no real hope on the horizon.'
ON GREEK BUDGET PROGRESS:
'We welcomed the additional measures taken in Greece ... they are a strong signal that Greece will implement the measures.
'We also urged the Greek government to agree with the Troika for additional consultation to close any gaps by 2014.
'The Troika report will not be ready until the Nov. 13 which is a tentative data for next Eurogroup meeting, I have cancelled the October meeting.
'Greece will be in a position to meet its financial obligations. I would assume the Eurogroup will take a decision in October and Greece.
'No one advocated default for Greece ... or an exit of Greece from the euro area, I have to firmly deny all rumours regarding a Greek default.
'We made good progress ... especially on recapitalisation of financial institutions ... we also had the first discussion on how to maximise the EFSF.'
ON GREEK COLLATERAL:
'When I asked if another country would like to join, nobody said yes.'
EU ECONOMIC AND MONETARY AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER OLLI REHN
'There has been a slippage this year .. what is essential is that Greece will have to meet or exceed its target in 2012 with regards to its fiscal deficit, and it must improve its track record in 2011.
'Greece's measures are clearly going in the right direction ... but we have to do our job properly and continue our reviews.'
SLOVAK FINANCE MINISTER IVAN MIKLOS:
ON PARLIAMENTARY VOTE ON ENHANCING EFSF
'We expect to discuss and finally vote on this on Tuesday, Oct 11 and if not, then no later than on October 14, so we will have a final decision before the council.'
ON ASKING FOR COLLATERAL IN RETURN FOR GREEK LOANS
'We don't have a final position. My expectation is that (with) the conditions as they have been proposed, I will not recommend the Slovak government to participate in the collateral.'
COMMENTS BEFORE THE MEETING
BELGIAN FINANCE MINISTER DIDIER REYNDERS
ON BANKS:
'The French and Belgian governments are behind their banks, whether that is Dexia or another.
'To help banks and to help, for example French and Belgian savers, the first thing to do is to help Greece.'
ON EFSF:
'I hope we will convince some of our colleagues to move forward in approving enhanced capacities for the EFSF.
ON NEXT AID TRANCHE FOR GREECE:
'The measures (taken by Athens) are absolutely exceptional... Now, we have to look at the measures taken in Greece and tell our colleagues that instead of looking to Greece they should look to their national parliaments and vote on the texts approved in July...
'So I hope that today, or in the next few days, we will take the decision to disburse the next tranche (of money) to Greece. Greeks are making important efforts and the euro zone should also do its job and vote to approve the texts.'
GERMAN FINANCE MINISTER WOLFGANG SCHAEUBLE
ON PAYING THE NEXT BAILOUT TRANCHE FOR GREECE:
'Speculating about it in advance makes no sense.'
ON LEVERAGE FOR THE EFSF:
'We will talk about the implementation of the EFSF reform. Only 10 percent has been used ... for programmes for Greece and Portugal so far. There's no point in speculating now.'
ON SLOVAKIA'S APPROVAL FOR CHANGES TO EFSF:
'We have all committed to quick implementation. But that's just the way it is in democracies... We hope with confidence that all those responsible in Slovakia know of their responsibility and live up to it, that they decide not just for themselves but for everyone in Europe.'
EU ECONOMIC AND MONETARY AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER OLLI REHN
ON ECONOMIC AND FISCAL SITUATION:
'We have a very important meeting at a critical juncture today. We are facing three main challenges: stalling growth, stressed sovereigns and still vulnerable banks.'
'It is essential to intensify fiscal consolidation and take decisions on growth-enhancing structural reforms... It is important that all member states meet their fiscal targets.'
GREEK FINANCE MINISTER EVANGELOS VENIZELOS
ON BUDGET AND FISCAL CONSOLIDATION:
'(Greece is taking) all the necessary difficult measures in order to fulfil its obligations towards its institutional partners. The new budget, the budget for the new year, is very ambitious, our target is to present for the first time after many years a primary surplus of 3.2 billion euros. This procedure of fiscal and financial consolidation for the last two years is very strong, very fast, but we are now ready to present results.'
'Greece is a country with structural difficulties, but Greece is not the scapegoat of the euro zone. Greece is a proud country. We have the possibility and the capability to go ahead, despite a deep recession -- a cumulative recession of 12 percent of our GDP in the last three years.'
(Reporting by Annika Breidthardt, John O'Donnell, Robin Emmott, Julien Toyer and Jan Strupczewski in Luxembourg; Ben Deighton and Charlie Dunmore in Brussels) Keywords: EUROZONE EUROGROUP/
(brussels.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com)(+32-2-287-6830)
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