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Juncker: 'We will not reach a deal with Greece today'

Lianna Brinded   

Juncker: 'We will not reach a deal with Greece today'
Finance2 min read

juncker

Reuters

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker gives a statement while standing in front a giant Greek flag projected in the press room at the EU commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium June 29, 2015.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker unleashed a number of home truths to Greece and its Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday, after the country overwhelmingly voted "No" - or "OXI" - in the country's bailout referendum Sunday.

He said there there will be no deal reached today and that all parties must discuss "what 'respecting Greek vote' means."

"The Greek Prime Minister knows that the question asked in the Greek vote was no longer valid. I'm against a Grexit but we must discuss what 'respecting the Greek vote' means," said Juncker in a speech Tuesday morning.

"I'm very saddened that the Greek delegation left the negotiating table - you don't do that in Europe. It was a big mistake. We must try and find a solution. It can't be done today - that would be to simplistic. Today we'll pave the way, through talks and mutual understanding, to put things in order. The ball lies in the Greek government's court."

Greeks had to vote either "Yes" or "No" to bailout conditions given to the government before June 30. However, the situation radically changed when Greece defaulted on its €1.6 billion (£1.1 billion, $1.8 billion) payment to its creditors that day.

Now, a "No" vote means Greece is likely to default on almost all its remaining debt and run out of money because the European Central Bank will not lend the country anymore cash.

On July 6, in a research note entitled "Greece: Time for the Adults to Speak," BAML's analysts pretty much say the "No" vote was pointless, as all it did was make the country's economy worse.

That means Greece is even more desperate for cash than it was before the vote and therefore in a much weaker negotiating position. Greece has another payment due to the European Central Bank coming up later this month. ATMs are close to running dry.

On July 5, Barclays' analysts warned that this will mean Greece will run out of liquidity as of July 20, and therefore certainly default on its debt, maybe exit the EU, abandon the euro and therefore will re-adopt its old currency, the drachma and use IOUs to recapitalise its banking system.

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