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Kounalaki, Xenia
Kathimerini, Greece
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5 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Thilo Sarrazin's book revives euro debate
A huge media circus accompanied the presentation of Thilo Sarrazin's new book on Tuesday. The former board member of the German Bundesbank has managed to launch an interesting debate on the euro, the conservative daily Kathimerini notes: "Many analysts write that he is an intellectual fire-raiser and accuse him of simply aiming to provoke. But with his views he manages to shape the agenda in his country and trigger many interesting debates. Until recently TV presenters avoided the subject of the euro because it was regarded as too dated and boring for the average viewer. But since the publishing of the book the subject has gained a new dynamic and the discussion has been revived."
» full article (external link, Greek)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Germany, » Europe
Germans not fascists, Greeks not lazy
Germany is not only home to politicians like Schäuble und Merkel, who are being cast as "the enemy" in Greece at present, but also to Goethe, Marx, Brecht and Thomas Mann, columnist Xenia Kounalaki reminds her compatriots in the conservative daily Kathimerini, warning them not to overgeneralise in their anger at the Germans: "Those who are familiar with German culture cannot understand this rage. To see the remarks of Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble or the annoying articles of the tabloid Bild as representing the attitude of the entire German people or the entire German press is just as unfair and overgeneralising as the stereotype of the lazy Greek who sits around in cafés all day and lives beyond his means. … The way some people are trying to reduce the tradition of an entire country to such unfortunate comparisons as: today's Germany - the fourth Reich, Goebbels - Scäuble, Hitler - Merkel is simply absurd."
» full article (external link, Greek)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Germany, » Greece
Xenia Kounalaki on beachgoing Greeks during a crisis
Columnist Xenia Kounalaki describes a day on a Greek island beach, in the conservative daily Kathimerini, and mulls over how Greeks are dealing with their economic crisis: "Economic, social and other crises are viewed with humour. The role of the family in the welfare state resurfaces. Friendships survive, despite difficulties. Love solves all problems. Children of immigrants get very high grades in the Panhellenic exams [for university entrance]. Teachers in far-flung regions try to inspire their pupils. Fathers drop their old macho posturing and help raise the children. Because women also can bring home the bacon. Politicians work and take care of their country. Citizens get involved, and don't just criticize ... the politicians. Aside from television, which 'produces' criminals and terrorists, aside from long lines at gas stations and aside from the lack of products in supermarket shelves [due to the striking gas stations and transportation firms] ... daily life is sweet. It is a lively and promising society."
» full article (external link, Greek)
More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Public Culture, » Greece
Xenia Kounalaki on the Greek Left
In the conservative daily I Kathimerini Xenia Kounalaki looks into the causes for the successes and failures of leftist parties in Greece: "The situation within the Greek Left, the lack of dialogue and the recurring schisms, are disheartening. At least in the past it had a talent for self-criticism, and its creative inner dialogue provided a content-oriented ideological maturation process. In the recent parliamentary elections in the German state of Saarland, Oskar Lafontaine's The Left party even managed to make substantial gains in the western part of the country. This success shows that conditions are ripe in Europe for a shift to the left. The growing strength of Syriza [a coalition of nine leftist Greek parties] - even if only in the opinion polls - reflects voters' search for something new and sustainable. And the survival of the Greek Communist Party proves that young voters are looking for a political party that is stable and unselfish."
» full article (external link, Greek)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Germany, » Greece, » Europe
Widespread racism against Roma
The most recent attacks against the Roma ethnic minority in Hungary force the conservative daily I Kathimerini to adopt a sarcastic tone: "August 2 is the day of remembrance of the Roma Holocaust. All Europe did a really 'great' job of marking this anniversary. In Hungary yesterday [August 3] a woman was shot and her daughter injured when unidentified persons carried out an attack on her house in a Roma settlement in the village of Kisleta. … Nowadays racist cleansings are carried out covertly and efficiently. If, for example, Greece's major banks refuse to grant Roma loans for construction, …. their nomad existence will inevitably continue to pose an obstacle to their children attending school. At the same time as long as there are racist attacks in Europe the Roma will seek refuge elsewhere. In June 100 Roma left Northern Ireland, in July [many] Roma left the Czech Republic for Canada. Step by step Europe is achieving the 'purity' of which Adolf Hitler dreamed."
» full article (external link, Greek)
More from the press review on the subject » Minorities, » Remembrance culture, » Europe
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