Bombing outside Greek central bank

ATHENS, Greece, April 10 (UPI) -- A car bomb detonated Thursday morning outside the Greek central bank, with no reported injuries.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, which coincided with Greece's reentry into the bond market on Thursday after four years of economic crisis.

Despite the bombing outside a symbolic financial institution, Greek Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras focused on the other major event: the "catalytic undertaking" of Greece's return to the bond market, which he hailed as "the biggest financial adjustment ever recorded since World War II."

The Greek government was near bankruptcy when it accepted an approximate $333 billion bailout from international creditors. The three major international lenders -- the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission, and the European central bank -- all have office space in the Greek central bank, the target of Thursday's bombing.

On Thursday, Greece announced that it has raised more than $4 billion in a five year bond deal. Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras regards the bond sale as reflective of Greece's triumphant economic recovery.

Thursday's bond offering comes as more than 20,000 people took to the streets of Athens protesting their economic plight and the strict fiscal austerity measures imposed by Prime Minister Samaras' government.

Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou condemned Thursday's bombing of the central bank as an attempt "to change this image, and change the agenda. We will not allow the attackers to achieve their aim."

[New York Times]