Europe, Greece 'no closer to solution' after vote: Dijsselbloem
Jeroen Dijsselbloem - Photo EU Council
(THE HAGUE) - Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem said Monday the results of Greece's resounding 'No' to further austerity measures has brought Europe "no closer to a solution" to Athens' financial situation.
"The referendum's result... does not bring us closer to a solution," Dijsselbloem, who is also the Dutch finance minister, told journalists in The Hague, ahead of a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
"If anything, the fact that suggestions were turned down, makes it even more difficult," Dijsselbloem said, adding that he would meet other Eurogroup finance ministers in Brussels on Tuesday ahead of a eurozone summit.
Greece overwhelmingly rejected further austerity measures in Sunday's referendum amid growing concern about Athens' place in the 19-member eurozone.
Its finance minister Yannis Varoufakis announced his shock resignation just hours after the vote, which was seen as a victory for Greece's hard left government.
Asked about Varoufakis, with whom Dijsselbloem frequently clashed during tough bailout talks, the Dutch minister said: "I have no problem with any person. It's about the tone and the content".
"That's what we need to focus on," Dijsselbloem said.
"We are going explore if there are any openings (towards a solution) in the time ahead," he added.
"But there are no easy solutions. Difficult measures" were necessary to help lift the Greek economy out of the crisis, Dijsselbloem said.
Meanwhile the stability of the eurozone is not at risk after the outcome of the Greek referendum, the European Commission's vice president for the euro said Monday.
"The stability of the euro area is not in question," Valdis Dombrovskis told a press briefing in Brussels. "We have everything we need to manage the situation."
The final tally released early Monday showed 61.31 percent of Greeks rejecting creditor demands for further austerity in return for more bailout funds, leaving Greece's eurozone partners scrambling to respond and stock markets in retreat.