Greece needs up to €10.5bn

Cash-strapped Greece needs up to 4.5 billion euros (6 billion dollars) in additional funds to help plug a gap in its finances next year, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told lawmakers Monday. "A certain problem" had emerged during the implementation of the aid programme granted to Greece, Schaeuble told reporters following a meeting of the German parliament's budgetary committee. According to dpa, this included delays in implementing a privatization programme along with problems arising from the planned transfer of central banks' profits arising from loans provided to Athens as part of its two previous bailouts, Schaeuble said. "This could result in a possible requirement in 2014," he told reporters. He declined to spell out any exact figures on the possible gap, saying the amount changed constantly.