German Minister Presses For More EU Monitoring Of Greece

Riot police duck as a Molotov cocktail thrown by youths explodes in front of the parliament in Athens in early December.

In an interview to be published on January 30, Germany's economy minister, Philipp Roesler, has backed increased EU monitoring of Greece.

Reports say Roesler told the daily “Bild” that the European Union should step in to ensure that Greece does not violate budget austerity.

The proposal foresees an EU commissioner holding a veto right against any budgetary measures and having broad surveillance ability to ensure that Greece takes proper steps to repay its debt as scheduled.

Greece rejected the bid.

Education Minister and former EU commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou called the notion "the product of a sick imagination."

The European Commission also said there was no question of Athens surrendering budgetary control.

compiled from agency reports