German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble talked to Liberation newspaper in the framework of a documentary on Greece to be broadcast by ARTE.

Mr. Schaeuble stressed that the proposal for a temporary exit of Greece from the Eurozone was not a German “dictation” emphasizing, though, that if Greece had considered that as the best solution, EU would have helped Greece.

Mr. Schaeuble defended the policy implemented in Greece, since reforms in an economy go along with painful restrictions, as he said.

He denied that there are any ideological prejudices against a radical left party and stresses that despite any ideological differences, when people elect a government, then this government represents the country.

As for the proposal for a temporary exit of Greece from the Eurozone, Finance Minister of Germany stresses, using the words of Jean-Claude Juncker, that “Greeks are a great people, but Greece is not a state” mentioning that he wondered, as many economists, if Greece with that economic situation and a dysfunctional administrative sector, it would be better to exit the euro zone for a while until it recovered financially and improved its competitiveness.

“But I’ve never supported Greece’s exit. I’ve just said that if Greece considered that this would be the best solution for the country, and there were many who supported that idea in Greece back then, we should support and help it, “said Mr. Schaeuble.