Greece receives warning from eurozone

ATHENS -- Greek President Karolos Papoulias annunceed that talks would resume on Tuesday with leaders of Greek parties on forming an expert coalition government.

A scene from Athens (Beta/AP)

Papoulias held talks last night with leaders of three leading Greek parties, which ended without agreement and should be continued today.
All previous negotiations were also unsuccessful, the AP reported, adding that all three parties insisted that the radical left-wing coalition Syriza, which was second in the elections held on May 6, should also take part in a future cabinet.

However, leader of the PASOK Evangelos Venizelos said last night that he supported the formation of an "expert government as an emergency solution," adding that "it is not natural to form a technocratic government, but since we find ourselves in such a crisis and impasse we have to accept it".

Secretary General of the Greek Communist Party (KKE) Aleka Papariga, who last night did not participate in the talks, addressed supporters in a public square in Athens to say that a government formed under these circumstances would be against the people and called for new elections.

Papariga, whose party advocates canceling of all agreements with the EU and the IMF, said she will not participate in the new talks, and urged th citizens to vote communists should election be held again in June.

Unless the parties manage to form a government, Greeks will have to go to the polls again in June, which, said reports, would only prolong the uncertainty and doubt about the country's membership in the eurozone, amid growing dissatisfaction with the strict austerity measures.

In parliamentary elections on May 6 no party won an absolute majority, and all the attempts that have since been undertaken to form a government failed.

Meanwhile, the eurozone on Monday warned Greece to comply with the conditions agreed as part of its bailout package, or risk leaving the monetary union.

All this comes at a time when problems in forming the government in Athens and the difficulties that Spanish banks find themselves in are causing concern among finance ministers of eurozone countries.