Greece repays $3.79bn to European Central Bank: reportAugust 20, 2015 - 12:45 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Greece has repaid 3.4 billion euros ($3.79 billion) due to the European Central Bank Thursday, Aug 20, a source close to the Greek government said after the launch of a massive new reforms-for-bailout deal, according to AFP. Greece was able to repay the loan as eurozone finance ministers announced that they had disbursed 13 billion euros to Athens and set aside another 10 billion euros to recapitalise the country's cash-starved banks. The finance ministers of the 19-country eurozone late Wednesday announced that they had formally approved a new bailout worth up to 86 billion euros ($95 billion) after European parliaments, including the German Bundestag, had given it their green light. Klaus Regling, the managing director of the Eurozone Stability Mechanism (ESM) that manages the bailout signalled Greece was making a fresh start. "Today's ESM disbursement (of 13 billion euros) will allow Greece to meet its urgent financial obligations to the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank, and other budgetary needs," Regling said in a statement. "The second sub-tranche of 10 billion euros will contribute to stabilizing the banking sector, whose situation deteriorated sharply after the imposition of capital controls in June," he said. Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Dutch finance minister who chairs the so-called Eurogroup of his eurozone peers, said the reform-for-aid accord formally approved Wednesday would hopefully give Greece a new lease on life. "This agreement provides perspective for the Greek economy and a basis for sustainable growth," he said. "The Greek government is bound to implementing this wide-ranging reform package with determination and we will monitor the process closely." "We are certain to encounter problems in the coming years but I trust we will be able to tackle them," he added. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “Great success”: Pashinyan pleased with new border protocol Pashinyan has described the signing by Armenia and Azerbaijan of a protocol on delimitation in Tavush as “a great success”. Armenia, Azerbaijan sign protocol on demarcation coordinates Armenia’s government took on May 15 another step towards handing over four border areas to Azerbaijan. U.S. warns Georgia not to side with Moscow against the west Georgia has been warned by the U.S. not to become an adversary of the west by falling back in line with Moscow. |