Merkel Leaves Door Open to Combining Euro-Area Bailout Funds
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel left the door open to boosting the euro-area financial backstop, saying that a decision on reinforcing the firewall will be made in time for International Monetary Fund meetings next month.
Merkel said that European finance ministers have discussed “combination possibilities” for the permanent and the temporary rescue funds ahead of a March 30 meeting in Copenhagen. Ministers may decide to increase the region’s crisis fund to a total capacity of 692 billion euros ($904 billion) when they meet, a euro-area official said separately.