Greece enjoyed its first relief in months yesterday when it won a cash lifeline for its teetering financial sector and emergency funding to save it from a default that would eject it from the eurozone.
希腊昨天获得几个月来第一笔救济金。该国为其摇摇欲坠的金融部门赢得了一条现金生命线,并获得紧急资金使其避免违约,否则该国可能被踢出欧元区。
Mario Draghi, head of the European Central Bank, affirmed his faith in Greece remaining in the euro as the central bank raised its limit on emergency loans to Greek banks by 900m over one week.
欧洲央行(ECB)将对希腊各银行紧急贷款的一周上限提升了9亿欧元。该行行长马里奥德拉吉(Mario Draghi)由此确认了他对希腊留在欧元区的信念。
The move could lead to Greek lenders reopening after being shuttered for nearly three weeks. “The ECB continues to act on the assumption that Greece is and will remain a member of the euro area,” Mr Draghi said.
此举有望使希腊各银行在关门近三个星期后重新开业。德拉吉表示:“欧洲央行的行动继续建立在一个假设的基础上:希腊现在是、将来依然是欧元区的成员国。”
Athens received further relief when EU officials finalised a plan to provide 7bn in bridge financing as soon as today to save it from defaulting on an ECB loan due on Monday.
希腊政府收到新的救济金之际,欧盟(EU)官员敲定了一份计划,最快今天就向其提供70亿欧元过渡资金,以确保希腊不会在周一到期的一笔欧洲央行贷款上出现违约。
Eurozone finance ministers also gave an initial green light for detailed negotiations to begin on the 86bn rescue package hammered out at a fractious summit of EU leaders on Monday. That followed approval of tough economic reforms tied to the bailout in the Greek parliament early yesterday.
欧元区各国财长也初步拍板围绕860亿欧元纾困方案开展细节谈判。该方案是周一在充满火药味的欧盟领导人峰会上提出的。财长们拍板之前,昨天凌晨希腊议会通过了与纾困捆绑的严厉经济改革措施。
Greece is far from out of trouble. The confidence of depositors remains very fragile and many capital controls are likely to remain in place for some time.
希腊还远远没有摆脱困境。希腊储户的信心依然十分脆弱,许多资本管制措施可能会继续实行一段时间。
Mr Draghi’s insistence that Greece remain part of the currency bloc also stood in contrast to a continued push by Germany’s hardline finance minister for Greece to leave. Speaking on the eve of a critical vote in the German parliament — the last remaining obstacle before full bailout negotiations can begin — Wolfgang Sch甀戀氀攀 said an agreed temporary exit “could perhaps be a better way for Greece”.
德拉吉对希腊留在欧元区的坚持,也和德国强硬的财政部长继续推动希腊离开欧元区的举动形成了强烈对比。在德国议会一次关键投票(这是全面纾困谈判可以启动之前的最后一个障碍)前夕,德国财长沃尔夫冈·朔伊布勒(Wolfgang Sch甀戀氀攀)在讲话中表示,在各方同意下暂时退出欧元区“也许对希腊更好一些”。
But Mr Draghi’s upbeat assessment drove confidence in European markets yesterday, including those for Greek debt. Prices for Greece’s 2019 bond rose to 64 cents in the euro, up from just 45 cents in the euro last week.
不过,德拉吉的乐观言论昨日提振了欧洲市场的信心——包括对希腊债券的信心。希腊2019年到期的债券价格从上周其票面价值的45%,升至其票面价值的64%。
The FTSE Eurofirst 300 index rose 1.2 per cent to the highest point so far this month, while investors loosened their grip on haven assets, sending up prices in the region’s riskier debt markets. Most ECB watchers had expected the central bank to keep its 89bn emergency lifeline frozen until next week, when Greece is due to make a 4.1bn payment on a bond held by the eurozone’s central bank.
富时Eurofirst 300指数(FTSE Eurofirst 300)上升了1.2%,升至本月以来的最高点。与此同时,投资者对避险资产的抢购有所减轻,推高了欧元区风险较高的债券市场的价格。多数欧洲央行观察人士原本预计,欧洲央行会将其890亿欧元的紧急现金生命线冻结至下个星期,届时希腊必须就欧洲央行持有的一笔债券偿付41亿欧元。
Mr Draghi and the rest of the governing council chose to act before Monday after EU officials agreed to provide the 7bn bridge financing. The ECB president indicated the central bank would free up more funding for Greek banks should progress between Athens and its creditors proceed as expected.
在欧盟官员同意提供70亿欧元过渡融资之后,德拉吉和欧洲央行管理委员会其他成员选择在周一之前采取行动。他表示,一旦希腊和其债权人之间的谈判进展符合预期,欧洲央行会为希腊各银行释放更多资金。
Additional reporting by Peter Spiegel and Alex Barker in Brussels and Elaine Moore in London
彼得施皮格尔(Peter Spiegel)和亚历克斯巴克(Alex Barker)布鲁塞尔、伊莱恩椠尔(Elaine Moore)伦敦 补充报道