- Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny
Eurozone finance ministers failed to approve the next 33 billion euros of bailout funds needed by Greece to avoid bankruptcy. After almost 12 hours of discussions, the Eurogroup said they are heading into their second confrontation this week. Greece's reforms and fiscal consolidation were thrown off the course by two subsequent parliamentary elections and a deep depression, even despite the fact that in February the country got a second financing programme from international lenders.
"There are deep divisions between the member states," Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said in the Dublin parliament today. "There are fears that it will not be possible to get a deal."
"Greece did what it had to do, and what it had pledged to do... whatever technical difficulties in finding a technical solution do not justify any negligence or delay," Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose 0.23 per cent to 270.11. Germany's DAX Index added 0.16 per cent to 7,184.71, while France's CAC 40 Index soared 0.44 per cent to stand at 3,477.36.
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