BRUSSELS (AP) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the president of the European Union’s executive branch are cautioning against speculation that Greece will need a third financial bailout.
Though Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has insisted his country won’t seek another bailout, Greece will most likely need some form of assistance to see it beyond the summer. Greece and its creditors recently agreed a four-month extension to Athens’ second bailout to June.
Merkel said Wednesday “we have our hands full” implementing that agreement and “that’s what I am concentrating on.”
EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said after meeting Merkel it is “premature” to speculate about another program.
Their comments follow comments from Spain’s finance minister this week that a third package was being negotiated. He then backtracked by saying the prospect was hypothetical.