Austerity cannot solve the Greek debt crisis, Peer Steinbrueck, the German Social Democratic Party's candidate for chancellor, said during a visit to Athens on Wednesday.
Greece needs time to meet deficit cutting targets and return to growth, he stressed during talks with Greek political leadership, expressing optimism over the outcome.
"Greece needs time to achieve the goals set, stability so that people will regain hope. Austerity on its own cannot provide a solution. It does not help development," he underlined.
Steinbrueck has repeatedly criticized German Chancellor Angela Merkel's managing of the Greek debt crisis. From the beginning of the crisis three years ago, Merkel has been a strong supporter of fiscal discipline to overcome challenges.
However, austerity has further added to Greece's unemployment and recession.
The country is kept afloat with multi-billion-euro rescue loans from the European Union and International Monetary Fund in exchange for austerity and reform policies.
