Greek banks ask to get more from support package-finmin

ATHENS, April 7 (Reuters) - Greek banks have asked for permission to access the remaining funds from a state support package first agreed in 2008, Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou said on Wednesday.

"The banks have asked to use the remaining funds of the support plan," he told reporters.

About 17 billion euros ($22.72 billion), mainly state guarantees, remain in the 28 billion euro support scheme launched by the previous conservative government to help Greek banks deal with the global credit crisis. (Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas; Writing by Ingrid Melander)