ECB's Constancio: Protests won't derail Spain, Portugal reforms

FRANKFURT, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Economic reform programmes in Portugal and Spain should not be affected by street protests as the governments are strong enough to push their agenda through, European Central Bank Vice-President Vitor Constancio was quoted as saying on Monday.

"Governments have majorities in parliament both in Portugal and Spain, still with three years or more before the next elections," he told MNI in an interview.

"So I don't think it will derail the programmes."

Constancio also told news agency MNI that euro zone interest rates were appropriate.

When asked whether further cuts would not have much impact on the total economy, he said: "Not much, certainly ... Rates are already quite accommodative, quite low."

(Reporting by Sakari Suoninen)

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Keywords: ECB/CONSTANCIO MNI