Lawmakers arriving, debate on expansion of Eurozone rescue fund

(29 Sep 2011) SHOTLIST 1. Car with German Economy Minister Philipp Roessler arriving 2. German Economy Minister Philipp Roessler entering parliament 3. Car arriving 4. SOUNDBITE (German) Peter Hinze, CDU (Christian Democrat Union) politician: "I find it important for the Euro that there is a large majority of lawmakers in the parliament supporting the Euro. Today the world looks at Germany and I think today is an important day for the currency in the world." 5. Cutaway of media 6. SOUNDBITE (German), Gregor Gysi, Left party member: "Normally one should not vote for the ESFS (European System of Financial Supervisors) today because its construction is wrong and I will explain that later on during the debate." 7. Gysi leaving 8. Green party member Claudia Roth arriving 9. SOUNDBITE (German) Claudia Roth, Green party member: "Today is an important day for Europe, for a Europe which is able to act, for a Europe where we stand together and show solidarity, solidarity also in our own interest. It is an important day for Germany because we would suffer the most if Europe would run against a wall." 10. Wide of parliament in session 11. German chancellor Angela Merkel and Roesler 12. German national emblem 13. SOUNDBITE (German) Peer Steinbrueck, Social-democrat MP and former Finance Minister: "Your medicine to buy the time, Mrs Chancellor, to buy the time in as much as the capital sector of Greece and others is financed with loans, and to impose a radical diet upon Greece, under which the country has to see how will it manage to get back on it''''s feet - that medicine has failed. The first part turned out to be a placebo, the second part as a life threatening situation for Greece." 14. Close of MPs 15. SOUNDBITE (German), Reiner Bruederle, Liberal Party MP, former Minister for Economy: " Without the agreement of Germany, without the agreement of the German parliament there will be no further payments. That is the clear message. The sovereign, the representation of German people decides about it, and that is right so!" 16. Wide of parliament in session STORYLINE: German lawmakers are expected to approve new powers for the eurozone bailout fund in a major step toward tackling the bloc''''s sprawling sovereign debt crisis. Passage in the lower house looks assured, thanks to support of opposition lawmakers, but the vote has highlighted tensions in Chancellor Angela Merkel''''s centre-right coalition, which has been strained by members who have balked at the cost of propping up the eurozone''''s strugglers. Germany is the biggest economy among the 17-countries that use the euro currency and has to contribute more than others to boosting the firepower of the bailout fund, the so-called European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF). If passed, Germany will be guaranteeing loans in future to the tune of up to 211 billion euros (288 billion US dollars), rather than 123 billion euros (168 billion US dollars) so far. "Today the world looks at Germany and I think today is an important day for the currency in the world," said Peter Hinze, a CDU (Christian Democrat Union) politician. Peer Steinbrueck, a Social-democrat MP and former finance minister criticised Merkel''''s handling of the situation, claiming the Chancellor had given Greece a "medicine," the first part of which "turned out to be a placebo, the second part as a life threatening situation for Greece." The lawmakers - under close scrutiny from jittery markets - are voting on European leaders'''' decision in July to increase the effective lending capacity of the fund to 440 billion euros (595 billion US dollars). You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/37f82c3de0d3214c5bc7322d53ccc9d2 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork