ECB, EU promise lifelines when Greece exits rescue

Athens

THE ECB and European Union rushed to reassure financial markets on Thursday that help is at hand for Greece as it heads for a high-risk exit from its debt-rescue programme.

The European Central Bank, which manages how funds are fed into the eurozone economy, is promising an extra cash lifeline for Greek banks if the government sticks to its bailout programme, the Greek central bank said.

And in Brussels, the European Union said that it would go on helping twice-bailed out Greece "in whatever ways necessary",…