Evacuation warning to Britons in Greece as country prepares to sign off yet another rescue package
Last updated at 12:30 AM on 20th February 2012
Warning: Foreign Secretary William Hague told Britions in Greece to prepare to leave if the country goes under
Britons in Greece were warned yesterday they may have to be evacuated.
It comes as eurozone ministers prepare to sign off another £108billion rescue package for the crippled economy.
Foreign Secretary William Hague revealed Britons were being urged to register with the consulate as officials are updating plans to evacuate citizens ‘on a daily basis’ in case Greece goes under.
There has been widespread civil unrest in the country as the prospect of it defaulting on its loans and exiting the euro has grown.
Mr Hague said the bailout was a matter for Greece and the eurozone, but the UK wanted ‘an end to the uncertainty’.
He added: ‘We have prepared contingency plans if we need to help British nationals who are there in any way. We keep those up to date on a daily basis.’
Fellow Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt called on Britons in Greece to ‘register with a consular system so we can find them in situations of emergency’.
He added: ‘No UK national who is there at the moment is unaware of what’s happening, so we’ve got systems in place... should the worst happen.’
The prospect of further disturbances in Greece loomed again when Germany was accused of seeking to undermine democracy in Athens.
Riots: Protesters are clashing with police on a daily basis now as authorities try to keep a lid on public fury over crippling austerity initiatives
Frontline: Athens increasingly appears like a city in open revolt as people take to the streets to vent anger over swinging government cuts to welfare and benefits
Eurozone finance chiefs meeting in Brussels will consider a German proposal to ban the Greeks from receiving cash unless they delay their general election due in April.
German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble wants to keep a technocratic Greek government in place to ensure austerity measures are taken.
Under the plan, officials from the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund will establish a permanent office in Athens to exercise day-to-day control of spending.
But Eurosceptics condemned the plans.
Tory MP Peter Bone said: ‘Greece is the birthplace of democracy [but] what they’re being asked to do is sacrifice their sovereignty to stop them from going bust. It’s a recipe for disaster.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103578/Evacuation-warning-Britons-Greece-country-prepares-sign-rescue-package.html#ixzz1msYCUznl
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