"Greece has implemented many reforms and is on a good path," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Monday in an interview with Bild newspaper.
The most dramatic moment over the last four years was the dispute over the program for Greece in the summer of 2015 when the country had to close its banks, he said adding that "on that day we had to make a final decision, I talked to the Chancellor over the phone a dozen times."
"Almost all European finance ministers agreed that it would be better for Greece to leave the European Union. I was in agreement with Mr. Gabriel, too, before I left for Brussels," he noted.
"Only later on, he demonstrated the opposite externally. In the end, Ms. Merkel had to weigh the pros and cons. She had to prioritize the overall responsibility for Europe. In retrospect, one can live well with the result. Greece has implemented many reforms and is on a good path."