European Union

The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in the 28 member states of the European Union decreased to 9.6% in May compared with 10.3% a year earlier, Eurostat said on Tuesday. 

"This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since July 2011," the EU statistical office said in a news release.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Monday during a private conversation with three people who wished not to be identified that Greece would stay in the euro for the time being even if Greek voters rejected austerity in a referendum on July 5.

Bulgaria will contribute EUR 100 M towards projects financed by the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI), the Finance Ministry in Sofia has said.

The contribution will be made through co-financing of projects approved by state-owned Bulgarian Development Bank, the Finance Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Despite government sources leaking the existence of a new improved proposal submitted to Greece by international creditors, there was exclusive information that there was no new proposal made to the Greek government.

Everyone is curious how the crisis in Greece will unfold. 

Greece's left-wing government plans to ask the country's citizens on Sunday whether to accept or reject the demands of its creditors for extended bailout funding needed to avert a default.

Greece is almost certain to miss a 1.6-billion-euro payment to the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday but it's touch-and-go whether it will have to leave the eurozone, a snap Reuters poll found.

Proto Thema on Monday acquired the single ballot for next Sunday’s snap referendum — another neo-Greek political neologism – which shows the question that citizens wishing to vote in the plebiscite will be called on to answer.

The Greek government on Monday published the text of the question it plans to put to citizens in a referendum on Sunday, asking them to decide whether or not to accept the demands made by international lenders in return for fresh cash to keep Greece from defaulting on its debts.

The door remains open for negotiations with Greece even after talks with creditors collapsed over the weekend, Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem said on Monday.