Eurozone crisis: Greece departure from EU ‘would not be disaster’

THE PROSPECT of Greece leaving the eurozone would not spell disaster for the remaining members, a European Union commissioner said today.

Neelie Kroes, who is in charge of the EU’s digital agenda, told a Dutch newspaper, De Volkskrant: “It’s always said, if you let one nation go, or ask one to leave, the entire structure will collapse. But that is just not true.”

Ms Kroes’s comments are contrary to the European Commission’s official position.

Over the past two years, the EU’s executive arm has insisted that leaving the eurozone is impossible and that an exit by Greece could hurt other vulnerable countries like Portugal.

However, pressure on Athens has been growing as the government has so far failed to agree reforms demanded in return for a second, 130 billion euros (£107.8 billion) bailout.

Under intense pressure from bailout creditors, Greek party leaders were seeking a long-delayed agreement on harsh cutbacks demanded to avoid looming bankruptcy, as a general strike disrupted public services nationwide today.

Heads of the three parties backing the interim government will confer with Prime Minister Lucas Papademos on new income cuts and job losses, which Greece’s eurozone partners and the International Monetary Fund are demanding to keep the country’s vital rescue loans flowing.