LOC23:37
20:37 GMT
BRUSSELS, June 23 (KUNA) -- The President of the European Parliament (EP)
Jerzy Buzek Thursday urged the Greeks to "show patience, understanding and
strength."
"The current reforms are likely to be a turning-point. The choice is
between a possible economic and political collapse and a slow return to the
normalcy of growth and sustainable debt levels," he said in a speech to the
summit of EU leaders here tonight.
Buzek said he welcomes the announcement by the President of the European
Commission Jose Manuel Barroso of fast tracking 1 billion euro through
structural funds to help with the immediate unemployment crisis in Greece.
The Greek debt crisis is dominating the 2-day summit of EU leaders which
kicked off here tonight.
The Greek parliament is expected to vote next Tuesday on a new package of
austerity measures in order to get the next installment of 12 billion euro
from a 110 billion euro bailout it received from the EU and the IMF last year
to save the country from bankruptcy.
The EU is now contemplating to give a second loan to Greece amid warnings
by economists that the country which has a huge public debt of 340 billion
euro is heading for a default. (end)
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