EU Commission says Greece could get short-term funds rapidly

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Thursday it was encouraged by the large majority in the Greek parliament for measures demanded by the euro zone in return for aid and expressed confidence that Athens could receive short-term financing soon. Commission spokeswoman Annika Breidthardt told a news conference that the Greek parliament had taken an important step toward rebuilding trust with Greece's international partners. "Everyone did what is best for Europe, and I think, the Greek parliament has spoken with a very loud voice. We had 229 MPs in favor. That's the signal we're taking out of that," she said. "We've made a lot of progress on the EFSM proposal, and we're confident that a compromise is within reach... Once adopted, the funds could be disbursed rapidly." (Reporting by Alexander Saeedy and Philip Blenkinsop)