Greece awaits ECB decision on keeping emergency liquidity assistance for Greek banks

FILE - In this Sept. 9, 2014 file photo barbed wire is fixed on the fence around the new headquarters of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany, Tuesday, Sept.9, 2014. Greece is anxiously awaiting a decision by the European Central Bank on whether to increase the emergency liquidity assistance banks can draw on from the country’s central bank, as worried Greeks continue to line up at ATM machines after the prime minister called for a referendum on creditor proposals for reforms in return for rescue loans. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File) (The Associated Press)

A man walks past a graffiti made by street artist N_Grams that read ''NO'' in German but also ''YES, IN'' in Greek language in Athens, on Sunday, June 28, 2015. Greece's parliament voted early Sunday in favor of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' motion to hold a July 5 referendum on creditor proposals for reforms in exchange for loans.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (The Associated Press)

ATHENS, Greece – Greece is anxiously awaiting a decision by the European Central Bank on whether to increase the emergency liquidity assistance banks can draw on from the country's central bank.

Worried Greeks on Sunday kept lining up at ATM machines after the prime minister called Saturday for a referendum on creditors' financial proposals in return for rescue loans. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' move has startled Greece's European partners and thrown the country's bailout negotiations with international lenders into turmoil.

If the ECB decides Sunday not to increase the emergency liquidity, which currently stands at just under 90 billion euros ($100 billion), Greece's banks will soon run out of cash and restrictions on transactions will likely be imposed.

Parliament approved Tsipras' referendum call early Sunday, with the national vote set for July 5.