Greece accused of 'bending' euro rules

Greece has exceeded the maximum permitted level for budget deficits since 2000 but underestimated its figures, according to a report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Relying on diplomatic sources, the paper states that the deficit between 2000 and 2002 was on average two percent higher than stated, due to the Greek authorities using a different way of calculating military and social expenditure.

If confirmed, Greece would have broken the rules underpinning the euro every year since en...