Finance Minister Says Greece Has Done What Lenders Wanted

Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos

Greek Finance Minister Envagelos Venizelos says his government has done what the country's international lenders wanted it to do to secure a second bailout worth 130 billion euros ($170 million).

He said the government had agreed on a further 325 million euros in cuts on top of austerity measures already agreed.

Venizelos also said the country's political leaders have put in writing their pledge to carrying out the austerity cuts even after elections due in April.

"On their part, they want to know that they are dealing with a country as a whole that is credible, not one or another party, one or another government, but one nation that will continue," Venizelos said. "And I think we made this very clear to them."

After a conference call of eurozone finance ministers, Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker said he was confident finance ministers would be able to approve the bailout on February 20.

Reuters