Walking into the meeting of EU finance ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday, Belgium's finance minister Didier Reynders commented on the turmoil at French-Belgian bank Dexia and assured accountholders that the money is safe up to 100.000 euros.
"We will see all the proposals coming from the board meeting. But I repeat there is a guarantee for the customers to 100 000 Euros and we have also some possible actions from the two government the Belgium and the French. So, first of all we need to listen to all the proposals coming from the banks but first of all, we will read all the proposals, and not in the newspapers, but in the proposal from the bank", Didier Reynders said.
The Franco-Belgian bank, one of the first European banks to be bailed out in 2008 holds €20.9 billion in sovereign debt issued by troubled eurozone countries, including Greece and Italy.
After the meeting, Dexia said that chief executive Pierre Mariani had been charged with preparing measures to resolve structural problems that were harming its operations, possibly the set up of ‘bad bank’ to hold a portfolio of assets, which has hampered the financial institution.
Dexia's statement came shortly after the conclusion of a meeting of euro zone finance ministers in Luxembourg, including those of Belgium and France, both shareholders in the group.
"The two governments are following the situation and will intervene if necessary," Belgian finance minister Didier Reynders told reporters in Luxembourg.
According to a source familiar with the situation, Dexia's shareholders were keen to avoid a capital increase, but the group was likely to put a part of its French municipal lending unit Credit Local for sale.
"We will see all the proposals coming from the board meeting. But I repeat there is a guarantee for the customers to 100 000 Euros and we have also some possible actions from the two government the Belgium and the French. So, first of all we need to listen to all the proposals coming from the banks but first of all, we will read all the proposals, and not in the newspapers, but in the proposal from the bank", Didier Reynders said.
The Franco-Belgian bank, one of the first European banks to be bailed out in 2008 holds €20.9 billion in sovereign debt issued by troubled eurozone countries, including Greece and Italy.
After the meeting, Dexia said that chief executive Pierre Mariani had been charged with preparing measures to resolve structural problems that were harming its operations, possibly the set up of ‘bad bank’ to hold a portfolio of assets, which has hampered the financial institution.
Dexia's statement came shortly after the conclusion of a meeting of euro zone finance ministers in Luxembourg, including those of Belgium and France, both shareholders in the group.
"The two governments are following the situation and will intervene if necessary," Belgian finance minister Didier Reynders told reporters in Luxembourg.
According to a source familiar with the situation, Dexia's shareholders were keen to avoid a capital increase, but the group was likely to put a part of its French municipal lending unit Credit Local for sale.
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