BRUSSELS — The European Union warned Friday that Greece’s already massive debt is growing much faster than forecast, putting pressure on the region’s finance chiefs to come up with new support for the country at their get-together next week.
Until a few days ago, it looked as if the main objective of this month’s meeting of EU finance ministers was to sign off on a $111 billion aid package for Portugal.
Several EU officials have hinted in recent days that Greece may need a second bailout to plug financial shortfalls in 2012 and 2013, but stressed that any new help would come only in return for further austerity measures and economic reforms.
At their meetings Monday and Tuesday in Brussels, EU finance ministers will be joined by Dominique Strauss Kahn, the head of the International Monetary Fund, which is responsible for one-third of Greece’s existing loan package.
