YEREVAN, July 3. /ARKA/. Luxembourg premier Jean-Claude Juncker will not accept another term at the helm of the Eurogroup of finance ministers unless Yves Mersch, also from Luxembourg, is named on the board of the European Central Bank, EUobserver internet edition reports.
“As long as Mr Mersch isn’t appointed, I will not accept the nomination proposal,” he said Friday.
According to Juncker Mersch has valuable experience in developing and implementing methods of struggle against the inflation.
Jean-Claude Juncker assumed the presidency of the Eurogroup on January 1 2005. Earlier he said that will not assume reappointment and will rather support Finance Minister of Germany Wolfgang Schäuble as the next Eurogroup president.
According to some sources in Brussels, Germany Chancellor Merkel has nominated Schäuble for this position. The German media reports that if Schäuble agrees to accept the post he will continue running the office of Finance Minister.
Schäuble, on his side, said he is ready to replace Juncker, however, according to some media sources, France’s President Francois Hollande opposed the issue.
The issue was expected to be solved on the EU summit June 28-29, however Council President Van Rompuy said the decision will be reached early July.
In accordance with Lisbon Treaty Eurogroup President is elected for 2.5 years. Juncker has already been reelected at this position three times. —0–
