ANALYST VIEWS: WILL GREECE BE KICKED OUT OF THE EUROZONE?
BILL BLAIN | MATRIX CORPORATE CAPITAL
I believe that in three or four weeks’ time the composition of the euro will look very different to how it does today. The internal debate will now be about how to exit Greece from the single currency and quarantine it from destroying the euro, by putting it into some kind of associate member status.
JEREMY BATSTONE-CARR | CHARLES STANLEY
This crisis is the first severe test of the euro project. Economic unity was always going to be difficult without true political unity, but I believe it is very, very unlikely that Greece will be kicked out – its departure would cause very serious ramifications for the other badly indebted nations around the eurozone.
GABRIEL STEIN | LOMBARD STREET RESEARCH
I think that the situation is deteriorating so much that it is unlikely that Greece will be able to solve all its fiscal and economic problems without devaluing, which it cannot do in the single currency. Therefore, I think we will ultimately see Greece suspend its membership of the euro.
HOWARD WHEELDON | BGC PARTNERS
I think it very unlikely that Greece will depart the euro. However, although a funding package may buy a bit of time, the underlying problem of bringing Greece back into a balanced book situation will be fraught with danger and take years, so it is a situation that cannot absolutely be ruled out.