Papandreou Says Referendum Will Confirm Greece as Euro Member

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou told his ministers in Athens today that his plans for a referendum would confirm Greece as a member of the European Union and the euro area and send a clear message.

“The dilemma isn’t ‘this or another government’,” Papandreou told his ministers in Athens today, according to an e-mailed transcript of his statements. “The dilemma is ‘yes or no to the loan accord’, ‘yes or no to Europe’, ‘yes or no to the euro’.”

Papandreou said resorting to early elections would be “shirking responsibility”.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Maria Petrakis at mpetrakis@bloomberg.net

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Papandreou Will Press on With Greek Referendum

Pantelis Saitas/EPA

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou attends a meeting of the members of ruling PASOK party's Parliamentary group at the Greek Parliament in Athens.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou attends a meeting of the members of ruling PASOK party's Parliamentary group at the Greek Parliament in Athens. Photographer: Pantelis Saitas/EPA

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Nov. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Irene Finel-Honigman, adjunct professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University, Yannis Ioannides, an economics professor at Tufts University, and Ward McCarthy, chief financial economist at Jefferies & Co., talk about Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou's call for a referendum on the European Union's financing package. They speak with Pimm Fox on Bloomberg Television's "Taking Stock." (Source: Bloomberg)