ATHENS--Greece will be blocked from the European Central Bank's
debt purchasing program if a review by the country's international
creditors isn't concluded, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras
said Thursday.
"[Thursday's] decision by the ECB says it clearly," Mr. Samaras
said in a televised address. "Without winding up the review of our
existing program by our international creditors, that must end in a
month, by the end of February, we will be excluded."
His comments came shortly after the central bank's president,
Mario Draghi, said the ECB will purchase eurozone countries"
government bonds, a landmark decision aimed at combating stagnation
and ultralow inflation.
Greece needs to stick to the terms of its bailout, footed by the
European Commission, the European Central Bank and the
International Monetary Fund, in order to be included in the ECB's
program.
"While our policy guarantees Greece's full participation in this
new era for Europe, the central position by the main opposition
party keeps us with certainty out of this program," the Greek
premier added.
Greeks are heading to the ballots Sunday, and according to polls
the leftist Syriza party is poised to win. The party promises a
tougher line with the creditors and wants Greece's eurozone
partners to write off a substantial portion of the country's
debt.
Greece's 240 billion euro ($274.2 billion) bailout program has
been extended until the end of February.
The government that will emerge after Sunday's elections will
have to conclude a review by the country's international creditors
that has been pending since September and decide on the credit line
that substitutes its existing program.
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires