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German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested a Greek referendum overwhether Greece should remain a member of the eurozone during aphone call with Greek President Karolos Papoulias on Friday, theGreek government said. "The German Chancellor conveyed to the president thoughts about theconduction of a referendum, in parallel with the general elections,over whether Greek people wish a stay in the eurozone," said apress statement issued by the new Greek government spokesmanDimitris Tsiodras. "But it is obvious that the issue is above the responsibilities ofa caretaker government," said the statement. However, a spokeswoman for Merkel denied afterwards that she hadever made the suggestion. "The information reported that the chancellor had suggested areferendum to the Greek President Carolos Papoulias is wrong," saidthe spokeswoman. Earlier on Friday, the Greek presidency said Papoulias had held atelephone conversation with Merkel, who expressed Germany's and theEuropean Union's solidarity with Greece for its efforts to overcomethe severe debt crisis, ahead of the upcoming EU summit in Brusselson May 23. "The Chancellor noted that European Union intends to examine aboost to development policies to tackle unemployment acrossEurope," added the press release. Greece is expected to go to a second round of polls on June 17, toresolve the political deadlock created after the May 6 nationalpolls that produced a parliament divided between pro-reform andanti-bailout parties. A caretaker government led by a senior judge was sworn in onThursday with the sole responsibility of leading the country to theballots, after the dissolution of the assembly and official call ofthe elections, which are expected on Saturday, according to thelatest information from state sources. The political uncertainty has deepened fears that a newinconclusive result in June or the further rise of anti-bailoutpolitical forces could jeopardize two-year efforts to avoid adisorderly bankruptcy and the future of the country's membership inthe eurozone. In first reactions to Merkel's reference to a referendum in June,media commentators on local television channels stressed that theidea of a Greek referendum first raised by Greek former PrimeMinister George Papandreou last November had sparked uproar inGreece and internationally over fears of the result. Papandreou had suggested a referendum on the second bailoutagreement with EU and International Monetary Fund lenders thatcontains fresh austerity and reform measures in exchange ofmulti-billion-euro loans to avoid a Greek default. The idea raised fears that it would amount to a referendum on theeuro and could lead to a Greek exit from the eurozone and a chaoticbankruptcy that would hit hard the international financial system. The referendum was never held, Papandreou stepped down and made wayfor an interim coalition government that finalized the bailout dealand led Greece to the polls in May. Even though a wide majority of Greek voters boosted anti-austerityand anti-bailout parties in the recent polls, all opinion surveysshow that approximately eight out of 10 respondents stronglysupport Greece's stay in the eurozone. Even parties with fierce rhetoric against austerity and the harshterms of the bailout agreements signed since May 2010 reject thedilemma of "euro against drachma." In first reactions to Merkel's suggestion, left parties, such asthe Greek Communist party (KKE), and political analysts in Athenstalked about mounting pressure from other European countries onGreece ahead of the new elections to vote for pro-bailout parties.In a statement, KKE called it a "blackmail.". We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Surfactants and Detergents Manufacturer , Food Additives Nutrition Manufacturer for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Food Additive Sweetener.
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