Former German EU commissioner defends Greece

Feb 16, 2012, 12:46 GMT

Berlin - A former European Commissioner came to Greece's defence Thursday, saying the nation should not be treated 'as if it consists of criminals.'

Speaking to SWR public radio of the German city of Baden-Baden, Guenter Verheugen, who served as a European Commissioner from 1999 to 2010, urged his fellow Germans to tone down their criticism of Greece for failing to meet demands set by eurozone finance ministers.

'My instinct tells me you cannot treat a nation as if it consists of criminals, and that this is not about punishing Greece,' he said. 'I am appalled at the tone with which Greece and the Greek package is being discussed at the moment. I have the feeling the fire brigade is slipping into the role of fire encourager.'

'We have to alter something in our minds, that we imagine we can head off on a punitive expedition,' against the Greeks, he said in reference to rising German, Dutch and Finnish impatience with Athens' slow pace of reforms.