Greek D-day ‘less and less scary’: German economy minister

German Economy Minister Philipp Roesler would not rule out Sunday the prospects of Greece’s exit from the eurozone, saying that “D-Day” is becoming a “less scary” prospect.

Asked during an interview with German television ARD about a possible exit of Greece from the eurozone, Roesler replied: “It’s in the hands of the Greeks.”

“D-Day is less and less scary,” he added later in the interview.

Roesler also pushed Greece to commit more to reforms, saying that it was making less effort than Portugal and Spain.

“We are ready to help. But once again: we have and want only to help if there is something in return from the Greek side,” he added.

“Other countries — Portugal and Spain — are much more engaged that their colleagues in Greece,” he added, according to a text of the interview published ahead of the broadcast.

“And that should be a clear signal to Greece, that we are now expecting efforts, that we can feel and show,” he said.

Roesler was the third German minister to call Sunday on Athens to implement reforms quickly.

In an interview with weekly Welt am Sonntag, Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said: “Greece’s promises are insufficient for us. They must … first implement parts of the previous programme and save.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Guido Westerwelle told Der Spiegel that “it is not enough to adopt reform programmes. It is also necessary to begin without delay the implementation of these reforms.

“Not any time, but now.”