Euro zone agrees bailout for Greece
11:36, 26 March 2010
BRUSSELS. March 26. KAZINFORM. Euro zone countries agreed on Thursday on a joint bailout plan with the IMF for debt-stricken Greece, which Greek Prime Minister Gorge Papandreou described as satisfactory; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.
"Europe has taken a big step in the face of a big challenge," Papandreou said in Brussels.
Under the accord Greece would receive coordinated bilateral loans from its euro zone partners and International Monetary Fund assistance if it faced severe difficulties.
The bailout package is estimated at 20-22 billion euros if required.
Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates said: "There's an agreement. We've given the signal that had to be given. It's a show of solidarity"; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass.