Updated | Greeks ready to call off referendum – Muscat

In a last ditch effort, the Greek government has asked for a third bailout and pledged to call off the referendum or campaign for a yes vote if the EU meets its demands.

Speaking in Parliament tonight, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat confirmed that Greece has asked for a two-year bail out the eurozone's permanent bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism totalling to cover its debt repayments until the end of 2017.

Speaking after the Eurogroup teleconference came to an end, Muscat said that Greece's demands for an extension of the current programme, a new bail out or a debt haircut had been denied.

“Greece said that if an agreement was reached it would be prepared to change its position from a yes to a no, change the referendum question or even consider the annulment of the referendum,” he said.

However, Muscat added, the Eurozone finance ministers turned down the request given that Greece “failed to make any clear proposal on prior actions.”

No security threat

Muscat also reassured Parliament that there is no imminent threat to Malta’s security following last week’s terrorist attack in Tunisia, in which 38 people were killed.

Condemning three separate terrorist attacks which took place on Friday in Tunisia, Kuwait and France, Muscat said that he has been informed by the security services that there is no new information on possible security threats to Malta.