Constancio Says Greek Default Doesn’t Mean Automatic Euro Exit

Bloomberg
April 20, 2015

European Central Bank Vice President Vitor Constancio said Greece might not have to leave the euro even if it defaults on its debt.

“We are convinced in the ECB that there will be no Greek exit,” Constancio said at the European parliament in Brussels on Monday. “The Treaty does not foresee that a country can be formally, legally expelled from the euro. So, if anything, some choice of that nature would have to be taken by the Greek government, not by us.”

The ECB is supporting Greek lenders, and by extension the economy, with emergency liquidity as concern over the government’s negotiating tactics for international aid payments spark deposit outflows. In a sign of the severity of the crisis, the government has issued a decree that forces local governments to transfer cash balances to the central bank.

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