Austerity driving Greece to despair
Even after receiving five bailout packages Greece is still facing bankruptcy. While its creditors are losing their patience, a growing number of Greeks are rebelling against the cuts. The press paints a dark picture of the future of the country.
Eleftherotypia - Greece | Thursday, 25. April 2013
After three years of stringent austerity policy the Greeks have begun to develop creative strategies for facing the crisis, the left-liberal daily Eleftherotypia observes: » more
After three years of stringent austerity policy the Greeks have begun to develop creative strategies for facing the crisis, the left-liberal daily Eleftherotypia observes: "People are starting to see the crisis from a new perspective. In the literature and theatre, in the graffiti on the walls and in the changed consumer behaviour, and also in the demonstrations of solidarity, it's noticeable that Greece has begun not just to confront the crisis but to seek ways of living with it. Amidst all its fragmentation and extremes, Greek society has entered a phase in which the enormous difficulties are gradually fomenting creativity in the arts and in the demonstrations of solidarity. History has shown that prolonged crises produce a reaction full of creativity. … The fact that all this creativity is geared towards helping each other is additional cause for hope."
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Kathimerini - Greece | Tuesday, 12. March 2013
The Greeks have had enough of the crisis and are ready for a transformation, the conservative daily Kathimerini believes: » more
The Greeks have had enough of the crisis and are ready for a transformation, the conservative daily Kathimerini believes: "Something has changed. You can feel it in the air, in the way people hold themselves on the street, in the shops, in discussions between people of different classes and professions. ... All of them agree that things can't go on like this. No one pretends to know what should be done differently, but everyone agrees that the current course leads nowhere. ... But the most important element in this all-encompassing feeling of change is that many Greeks have progressed from the stage of self-preservation to the stage of knowledge, and understand that joint action must be taken. And that to stop the destruction this must be something radical, direct and drastic. ... Greece is on a new, historic path along a slippery cliff full of danger. Most Greeks know this, and that's why they're ready to risk a change."
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Le Monde - France | Wednesday, 13. March 2013
The International Monetary Fund first turned the crisis state Greece into a guinea pig and then sacrificed it through its own negligence, Maria Negreponti-Delivanis, economics professor at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, writes in the left-liberal daily Le Monde: » more
The International Monetary Fund first turned the crisis state Greece into a guinea pig and then sacrificed it through its own negligence, Maria Negreponti-Delivanis, economics professor at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, writes in the left-liberal daily Le Monde: "In January, the chief economist Olivier Blanchard announced that the IMF had been wrong about Greece. ... It is very possible that if the top brass at the IMF waited so long before admitting this mistake it's because they know the Greek debt is beyond control. ... The whole thing has turned into a fiasco. An enormous fiasco. It is responsible for 4,000 suicides, the impoverishment of 3.5 million people. ... Yet despite the IMF's error, which worsened the recession by 200 percent compared with forecasts and has contributed to making Greece a third world country, the disastrous austerity policy is being maintained."
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To Vima Online - Greece | Thursday, 21. February 2013
With the first general strike since the start of the year, thousands of Greeks once again protested against cuts and layoffs on Wednesday. But not as many people took part as expected, the left-liberal online daily To Vima writes, reasoning that the Greeks are now beyond the protest phase: » more
With the first general strike since the start of the year, thousands of Greeks once again protested against cuts and layoffs on Wednesday. But not as many people took part as expected, the left-liberal online daily To Vima writes, reasoning that the Greeks are now beyond the protest phase: "The unions and party leaders haven't grasped - or have underestimated - the fact that for a long time now most people have been in a phase of rebuilding their lives. They've realised that the time for unreasonableness is over, that the Greek state won't make it as long as it's excluded from the international markets and the international financial system, and that without rolling up their sleeves they'll never get ahead. ... It may be that when the time comes to vote, they will punish all the politicians. Now, however, most people are putting their energy into finding work, rebuilding their lives and securing a better future for themselves and for their children."
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Kathimerini - Greece | Tuesday, 19. February 2013
Since the beginning of the crisis a growing number of young Greeks are leaving the country because they see no future for themselves there. At the same time the middle class is becoming impoverished as a result of higher taxes and salary cuts. But what will the country do without its young people and its middle class, columnist Nikos Xydankis asks worriedly in the conservative daily Kathimerini: » more
Since the beginning of the crisis a growing number of young Greeks are leaving the country because they see no future for themselves there. At the same time the middle class is becoming impoverished as a result of higher taxes and salary cuts. But what will the country do without its young people and its middle class, columnist Nikos Xydankis asks worriedly in the conservative daily Kathimerini: "We are already confronting the problem of the 'lost generation', not only regarding the labour market and the economy but also in terms of demographics, history and our nation. The young people who are leaving and those who are unemployed are removed from the body of the people, on a long-term basis and under extremely unfavourable circumstances. And on top of that we have the problem of a middle class that is growing poorer under the same circumstances. How long can we imagine Greece as a Western European country when it is in such a state? … A society lacking fresh blood and backbone. We must start reflecting on this together, at a political level. Such reflection will then define the individual dimensions of this phenomenon. No one will be able to save themselves all on their own."
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Ta Nea - Greece | Monday, 18. February 2013
Presumably in protest against a mining project, several dozen unidentified persons launched an attack on Sunday against the Skouries site of the Hellenic Gold company in the Greek Halkidiki peninsula. Two security guards were threatened during the attack. The left-liberal daily Ta Nea fears that the escalating violence will scare away investors: » more
Presumably in protest against a mining project, several dozen unidentified persons launched an attack on Sunday against the Skouries site of the Hellenic Gold company in the Greek Halkidiki peninsula. Two security guards were threatened during the attack. The left-liberal daily Ta Nea fears that the escalating violence will scare away investors: "This brutal attack has two aspects that are equally grave. First, violence is taking over increasingly large sections of Greek society. Environmental concerns, no matter how serious, cannot justify the despicable act of dousing an employee with fire accelerant! The second aspect has to do with the negative repercussions of such actions. … A country where such attacks take place is certainly not attractive for investors. The perpetrators must be caught and punished. Greece urgently needs foreign investors. Otherwise its already far too high level of unemployment will rise even further."
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Ta Nea - Greece | Thursday, 7. February 2013
The Greek police have admitted that after a bank robbery on February 1, the four alleged culprits were beaten and that photos showing their wounded faces had been retouched. The former chairman of the National Commission for Human Rights, Kostis Papaioannou, writes in the left-liberal daily Ta Nea that democracy and human rights have been violated: » more
The Greek police have admitted that after a bank robbery on February 1, the four alleged culprits were beaten and that photos showing their wounded faces had been retouched. The former chairman of the National Commission for Human Rights, Kostis Papaioannou, writes in the left-liberal daily Ta Nea that democracy and human rights have been violated: "By publishing the photos the Greek police have admitted in a cynical way that the police have been engaging in torture. ... After the tragedy in Norway the prime minister of the country said that the sole answer to the violence by the Neonazi killer Breivik was more democracy, more humanism, and more openness. Unfortunately Greece is not Norway. Here many people are ready to sacrifice human rights at the altar of security. ... But security is not an abstract goal that pertains only to the police and public order. Everyone has a right to security, and it cannot be attained through arbitrariness, violence and authoritarianism."
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Protagon - Greece | Thursday, 7. February 2013
During his tour of several European capitals, Peer Steinbrück, chancellor candidate of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), made a stop in Athens on Wednesday. He promised the Greeks more solidarity and praised their efforts at austerity. The website Protagon warns the Greeks not to expect too much of this: » more
During his tour of several European capitals, Peer Steinbrück, chancellor candidate of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), made a stop in Athens on Wednesday. He promised the Greeks more solidarity and praised their efforts at austerity. The website Protagon warns the Greeks not to expect too much of this: "The spirit of the SPD is doubtless different to that of the Christian Democrats. The language they use is different, and somehow they also manage to show respect for the Greeks. However whether they will demand that Angela Merkel change her policy regarding Greece in the event that they form a grand coalition with her party is another matter entirely. And quite honestly it looks like Steinbrück is giving exactly the same advice as all other rational people in Europe at this point: give up your old habits and change your country before it's too late."
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To Vima Online - Greece | Wednesday, 6. February 2013
Seamen in Greece have been on strike for six days and the farmers have also protested with repeated street blockades against the government's stringent austerity policy. These forms of protest are no longer in keeping with the times and are being orchestrated by the left-wing opposition, the left-liberal online paper To Vima criticises: » more
Seamen in Greece have been on strike for six days and the farmers have also protested with repeated street blockades against the government's stringent austerity policy. These forms of protest are no longer in keeping with the times and are being orchestrated by the left-wing opposition, the left-liberal online paper To Vima criticises: "Always after the Christmas holidays and before the work begins [in the fields] in spring the farmers block the roads with their tractors. ... These protests have taken on the form of an annual meeting. The same faces, the same slogans. Like useless street parties that are organised each year for the sake of the party. The organisers simply haven't understood that such actions no longer mobilise people or move the masses. Now is the time for production and creativity. When will the Left recognise the true needs of the country and its society?"
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Eleftheros Typos - Greece | Monday, 28. January 2013
The volume of Greece's exports increased by 2 billion euros year on year in 2012 to reach a total of 24 billion euros, according to an estimate by the Association of Greek Exporters. This means exports account for 12.6 percent of the country's gross domestic product. The conservative daily Eleftheros Typos calls on businesses to focus more on exports: » more
The volume of Greece's exports increased by 2 billion euros year on year in 2012 to reach a total of 24 billion euros, according to an estimate by the Association of Greek Exporters. This means exports account for 12.6 percent of the country's gross domestic product. The conservative daily Eleftheros Typos calls on businesses to focus more on exports: "The only way to achieve a quick economic recovery is to bring fresh money on to the market. However not through loans from the troika, but through exports. Unfortunately with the exception of tourism our country has failed to develop an export culture. ... But the 'export economy' must become a compulsory subject in the business world and the state can make a key contribution here through economic diplomacy and making important information available. Greece has the best agricultural products in the world and the Mediterranean diet is regarded as the healthiest. Now is the ideal time to turn our country into an international centre of trade once more - with the focus on exports rather than imports."
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Imerisia - Greece | Thursday, 24. January 2013
The director of the Institute of International Finance, Charles Dallara, said on Tuesday that Greece could potentially return to the markets as soon as 2014. The business paper Imerisia also sees several indications that the economic climate is improving in Greece: » more
The director of the Institute of International Finance, Charles Dallara, said on Tuesday that Greece could potentially return to the markets as soon as 2014. The business paper Imerisia also sees several indications that the economic climate is improving in Greece: "The markets and our partners are convinced of the government's determination to continue on the path of reform and fulfil all the obligations. The government and the country are passing the 'tests' to which they must submit on a daily basis. And the battle is showing the first positive results. So it's no coincidence that the yields on bonds are quickly going down. … The improvement in the economic situation also reflects the dynamic of our exports, which are expected to reach a record high this year. Cautious estimates reckon with an increase of four to five percent, while optimists are even expecting double-digit growth."
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Kathimerini - Greece | Thursday, 24. January 2013
A series of attacks has rocked the Greek capital in the last few days. Among other things shots were fired at the headquarters of the ruling Nea Demokratia party and a bomb exploded in a shopping mall. The conservative daily Kathimerini warns against a country torn by conflict: » more
A series of attacks has rocked the Greek capital in the last few days. Among other things shots were fired at the headquarters of the ruling Nea Demokratia party and a bomb exploded in a shopping mall. The conservative daily Kathimerini warns against a country torn by conflict: "In the coming months everyone must take care to ensure that Greece doesn't slide into a violent internal conflict that renders the country ungovernable. Every time Greece's situation stabilises and the danger of collapse and a return to the drachma recedes, 'invisible' hands and voices of hatred rise up and dark powers try to push us into the abyss. ... The tone in parliament, on TV - everywhere - must become milder. Terrorism has become an important topic, and we should not face it divided. ... We need stability and normality. If we convey the image of a country in a constant state of crisis and uncontrollable stress, the economy will never recover and clearly no foreigners will invest here."
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Protagon - Greece | Friday, 18. January 2013
An immigrant from Pakistan was stabbed to death in Athens on Thursday. Following the arrest of two Greeks suspected of committing the crime pamphlets of the neo-fascist Golden Dawn party were discovered in the home of one of them. The website Protagon describes how the Greek state and society tolerate xenophobia: » more
An immigrant from Pakistan was stabbed to death in Athens on Thursday. Following the arrest of two Greeks suspected of committing the crime pamphlets of the neo-fascist Golden Dawn party were discovered in the home of one of them. The website Protagon describes how the Greek state and society tolerate xenophobia: "The number of victims of racist violence in Greece is growing. The rhetoric of hate is simply being accepted. At the same time the state is incapable of ending this terrible state of affairs. And because it is not stopping it, it is actually inadvertently encouraging the violent criminals. ... The country's reputation abroad is getting worse and worse and life is turning into a living hell for immigrants here in Greece. As long as Golden Dawn continues to be perceived as a party rather than what it really is, and as long as the government simply parrots the outraged petty bourgeois [who complain about the high number of immigrants in Greece] so as not to lose their votes this tragic situation will continue, and there will be more such sad news."
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Ta Nea - Greece | Wednesday, 9. January 2013
After the Greek government raised the tax on heating oil, many Greeks started heating their homes with wood this winter. Athens' Medical Association has already warned of the consequences of firewood smog. Kostis Papaioannou, member of the National Commission for Human Rights, complains in the left-liberal daily Ta Nea of the backwardness that has Greece firmly in its grip: » more
After the Greek government raised the tax on heating oil, many Greeks started heating their homes with wood this winter. Athens' Medical Association has already warned of the consequences of firewood smog. Kostis Papaioannou, member of the National Commission for Human Rights, complains in the left-liberal daily Ta Nea of the backwardness that has Greece firmly in its grip: "This smog is the most visible example of the huge backwardness of our country. It's like a sudden journey back in time. Greece has fallen decades behind, and sees Ceauşescu's Romania when it looks in the mirror. Heating systems have been turned off downtown and in the suburbs, and people are using their fireplaces and ovens to heat themselves instead. Families trying to stay warm with small electric heaters are the symbol of a general change in everyday life. Families restrict their activities to a single heated room. ... People who venture downtown stick to the bare essentials. ... This smog is indicative of the dark future of the recession, and will hang in the air irrespectively of the momentary ups and downs in the national economy."
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TVXS - Greece | Tuesday, 8. January 2013
In the affair over the so-called Lagarde list, along with more than 2,000 Greek tax evaders, both the former finance minister Giorgos Papakonstantinou and his successor Evangelos Venizelos are coming under fire. In previous statements Papakonstantinou maintained he had lost the original copy of the list. Columnist Ioannis Germanos condemns the attitudes of Greek society to illegality on the web portal Tvxs.gr: » more
In the affair over the so-called Lagarde list, along with more than 2,000 Greek tax evaders, both the former finance minister Giorgos Papakonstantinou and his successor Evangelos Venizelos are coming under fire. In previous statements Papakonstantinou maintained he had lost the original copy of the list. Columnist Ioannis Germanos condemns the attitudes of Greek society to illegality on the web portal Tvxs.gr: "We are a village in the European provinces, to the south of the Balkans. Everyone knows each other and protects each other at the cost of future generations. We good-naturedly overlook it when people break the law, and call it cleverness. It's as simple as that. 'Sorry, I lost the list, no idea where it is', [says Papakonstantinou]. ... Things simply can't go on like this, we can't go on acting in this way (writing no invoices, taking no receipts). We just can't treat things so casually in our little Gallic village. ... All good things must come to an end, because our indifference is slowly building up a wall around us."
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Ta Nea - Greece | Friday, 4. January 2013
The troika has advised the Greek government to debit taxes directly from the bank accounts of its citizens because the government has been unable to collect unpaid taxes amounting to 55 billion euros. An aggressive tax policy is generally the wrong approach, the left-liberal daily Ta Nea warns: » more
The troika has advised the Greek government to debit taxes directly from the bank accounts of its citizens because the government has been unable to collect unpaid taxes amounting to 55 billion euros. An aggressive tax policy is generally the wrong approach, the left-liberal daily Ta Nea warns: "The current government, like the ones before it, is caught in a vicious circle: it raises taxes to meet the demands of the troika. This also occurred with the real estate prices, the fuel prices and the VAT. But what is the result? Demand has dropped, the number of tax evaders has risen, as has the number of those who have no money to pay the taxes. This means that government revenues have also gone down. … The government must recognise its mistakes and find ways to combat tax evasion, which is the real problem. Otherwise this vicious circle will never be broken!"
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Imerisia - Greece | Thursday, 27. December 2012
Despite all the predictions that Greece would leave the Eurozone in 2012, the country has managed to stay alive, the left-liberal business paper Imerisia writes. ... » more
Despite all the predictions that Greece would leave the Eurozone in 2012, the country has managed to stay alive, the left-liberal business paper Imerisia writes. "Next year, too, we will not let ourselves be defeated, even if most people have suffered badly. Greece is still a member of the Eurozone and the powerful of Europe are showing their solidarity in various ways. ... Certainly, the people of Greece have difficult times ahead. In the coming year they will also see their incomes shrink and the number of jobless grow right from the start. But things are changing on a psychological level. The prospect of the next credit tranche, as well as the clear decisions taken by the government, have created a more positive mood. Not that the Greeks' economic problems are over. But after several years of recession there are certainly a few hopeful signs."
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Naftemporiki - Greece | Thursday, 20. December 2012
The US rating agency Standard & Poor's raised Greece's credit rating by 6 levels on Tuesday to B-, which corresponds to a speculative investment. For the conservative daily Naftemporiki it's too early to rejoice because the reality is far gloomier: » more
The US rating agency Standard & Poor's raised Greece's credit rating by 6 levels on Tuesday to B-, which corresponds to a speculative investment. For the conservative daily Naftemporiki it's too early to rejoice because the reality is far gloomier: "For things to take a turn for the better, social benefits, workers' rights and tax breaks must be sacrificed. ... Who can tell with certainty how those people will react who still hold a job but whose incomes will shrink at the end of the year because of the cuts and tax hikes? And what can one say about the endurance and patience of the increasingly large army of the unemployed, whose numbers are expected to continue to rise in the coming months? At the moment no one can say where events are taking us. The coin is still in the air. The good news is at odds with the reality on the ground. But we will soon see how the coin falls. "
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Kathimerini - Greece | Sunday, 16. December 2012
The Greeks live in bigger houses than most of their European neighbours, the conservative daily Kathimerini notes pointing to a study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Averaging 126 square metres, Greek homes are the fifth-largest in the world and the second-largest in Europe. Now the empty houses stand as a reminder of the futile struggle for material wealth, writes columnist Maria Katsounaki: » more
The Greeks live in bigger houses than most of their European neighbours, the conservative daily Kathimerini notes pointing to a study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Averaging 126 square metres, Greek homes are the fifth-largest in the world and the second-largest in Europe. Now the empty houses stand as a reminder of the futile struggle for material wealth, writes columnist Maria Katsounaki: "The Greeks' relation to their privately-owned homes has deep roots in history and society. By investing in a private dwelling, parents wanted to secure their children's future. For that reason they put their savings, be they big or small, legal or illegal, into real estate. ... People were admired for owning one or more houses, and this was considered a sound investment. ... The luxurious flats and houses were also a substitute for their owners' non-existent identities. Material goods filled empty rooms and empty lives. Now we are faced with uninhabited, silent apartments and houses. They are waiting for the next owners or tenants, who are becoming increasingly hard to find. A desert now stretches before us, calling out for new forms of assets - and life."
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Naftemporiki - Greece | Friday, 14. December 2012
After months of negotiations the Eurozone finance ministers on Thursday gave their definitive approval for the paying out of new loans to Greece. The first instalment, due for December, amounts to approximately 34 billion euros. The conservative daily Naftemporiki doubts that this money will help Greece's real economy: » more
After months of negotiations the Eurozone finance ministers on Thursday gave their definitive approval for the paying out of new loans to Greece. The first instalment, due for December, amounts to approximately 34 billion euros. The conservative daily Naftemporiki doubts that this money will help Greece's real economy: "If we look at how the money from this instalment is supposed to be distributed we see that 16 billion are earmarked for recapitalising the banks, 7 billion are destined for financing state-owned enterprise and 11.3 billion for buying back government debt. ... Even the money that the banks receive for their urgently needed recapitalisation will take its time to filter down to the markets as liquid resources, as the governor of the Bank of Greece explained on Wednesday. ... It is not to be expected that this money will have a direct positive impact on the hard-hit economy."
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To Vima Online - Greece | Tuesday, 11. December 2012
The Greek government on Monday announced laxer laws on store closing times. Shops with a selling area of up to 250 square metres are now generally allowed to stay open on Sundays, while larger stores can open on seven Sundays in the year. The left-liberal online newspaper To Vima calls for complete liberalisation of the regulations: » more
The Greek government on Monday announced laxer laws on store closing times. Shops with a selling area of up to 250 square metres are now generally allowed to stay open on Sundays, while larger stores can open on seven Sundays in the year. The left-liberal online newspaper To Vima calls for complete liberalisation of the regulations: "The debate about store opening times has been going on for almost three decades without producing any concrete decisions. The main argument against complete liberalisation was always that smaller businesses could not afford to stay open longer and would therefore be driven out by the large supermarkets. But since the onset of the crisis many shop owners - those that still remain - opened their stores on Sunday, in many cases violating the law. ... If the government wants to offer retailers effective help it should liberalise working hours for everyone everywhere. The big stores would have to recruit new staff to stay open seven days a week. This would bring real benefits to everyone."
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Kathimerini - Greece | Sunday, 9. December 2012
According to figures published by the Greek trade union association's labour institute (INE) the purchasing power of the Greeks has gone down by 50 percent this year. What will Christmas, which has increasingly been defined by consumption in recent years, be like for them this year? columnist Maria Katsounaki asks in the conservative daily Kathimerini: » more
According to figures published by the Greek trade union association's labour institute (INE) the purchasing power of the Greeks has gone down by 50 percent this year. What will Christmas, which has increasingly been defined by consumption in recent years, be like for them this year? columnist Maria Katsounaki asks in the conservative daily Kathimerini: "How merry will the mood be with less consumption? How willing are we to say goodbye completely to the idea of presents? ... What will take their place? Even these questions are pure luxury for some Greeks. ... According to a study by the INE labour institute, half of the Greek population is living on the poverty line with an annual income of less than 4,871 euros. How do Christmas and poverty go hand in hand if for decades the bubble of bliss and exaggerated consumption have defined well-being through the purchase of (alleged) assets? Love, solidarity, inventiveness, imagination and alternative solutions would be a way out, to prevent us from falling into depression during the holy festivities. But why do all these attempts seem like ersatz food? ... This Christmas we have some difficult tasks to solve."
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To Vima Online - Greece | Thursday, 6. December 2012
In no other EU country is corruption as widespread as it is in Greece, according to Transparency International Corruption Perception Index published on Wednesday. But this is based on the citizens' subjective assessment of the situation and therefore says nothing about the reality in Greece, the left-liberal online daily To Vima complains: » more
In no other EU country is corruption as widespread as it is in Greece, according to Transparency International Corruption Perception Index published on Wednesday. But this is based on the citizens' subjective assessment of the situation and therefore says nothing about the reality in Greece, the left-liberal online daily To Vima complains: "How can Transparency International arrive at such a problematic, completely arbitrary and absolutely unscientific conclusion? ... What else are the citizens supposed to say in a Greece experiencing a major crisis, austerity packages and an unprecedented recession, where people are being bombarded with bad news and endless reports on economic scandals? The current figures do not mean that corruption has increased. After all, how could this be possible in a country whose economic activities have been destroyed, whose banks and public institutions are paralysed and where the recession is at seven percent and even the shadow economy has shrunk?"
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To Vima Online - Greece | Tuesday, 4. December 2012
Andreas Loverdos, a former Greek health minister and previously a member of the socialist Pasok Party, on Monday founded the new political movement Rikssy. The left-liberal online paper To Vima writes that the new party has nothing to offer the people because the aims of its politicians ignore the needs of Greek society: » more
Andreas Loverdos, a former Greek health minister and previously a member of the socialist Pasok Party, on Monday founded the new political movement Rikssy. The left-liberal online paper To Vima writes that the new party has nothing to offer the people because the aims of its politicians ignore the needs of Greek society: "Unfortunately this step made by Loverdos highlights the political and personal impasse the Pasok politicians have got themselves into since [former prime minister] Kostas Simitis gave up the leadership of the party. Most of them are driven solely by their personal fight for political survival, which makes their decisions unreliable and in most cases irrelevant for the citizens. Under the current political, economic and social circumstances it would be more appropriate to withdraw from politics altogether. Their irrelevant decisions only compromise them further and do nothing to help the citizens."
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Irish Independent - Ireland | Monday, 3. December 2012
Greece won't stick to its austerity plans, the left-liberal daily Irish Independent writes with conviction, now that the country is receiving another cash injection of almost 44 billion euros: » more
Greece won't stick to its austerity plans, the left-liberal daily Irish Independent writes with conviction, now that the country is receiving another cash injection of almost 44 billion euros: "Greece has promised to deliver on its austerity programme. Not a sinner in Berlin believes that the Greeks have the slightest hope - or intention - of doing so. Nor does a sinner in Athens. Yet the fudge suits both parties. Athens has won a respite until the next inevitable skirmish; Angela is cunningly carried over the electoral deadline without being forced to make any politically dangerous decisions. Game, set and match to Greece. They played the role of suicide bombers. It worked. If they had pulled the pin out of the grenade last week they might have taken the euro with them. And maybe Angela too."
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Kathimerini - Greece | Thursday, 29. November 2012
The IMF stressed on Thursday that it would not disburse Greece's next bailout tranche until the country completes a voluntary buyback of its bonds. It is presumed this will have taken place by December 13. In Greece, great fears about what the future holds continue to predominate, the conservative daily Kathimerini laments: » more
The IMF stressed on Thursday that it would not disburse Greece's next bailout tranche until the country completes a voluntary buyback of its bonds. It is presumed this will have taken place by December 13. In Greece, great fears about what the future holds continue to predominate, the conservative daily Kathimerini laments: "Even if the debt reduction programme goes according to plan - and there are doubts whether it will, especially due to questions over the bond buyback scheme - Greece will still have to contend with a debt of 124 percent of GDP in 2020. ... The Brussels debt deal appears to be far from the conclusive answer to Greece's debt-related problems. There have been concessions on all sides and the potential is there for a more decisive intervention in the future. As things stand, though, it does not provide a cast iron guarantee that Greece will remain in the eurozone. It provides a flickering light at the end of the tunnel rather than total illumination and leaves a huge amount of work for Greece, and its partners, to do over the next few months and years. Will they succeed? Of that, we can be uncertain."
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Die Zeit - Germany | Thursday, 29. November 2012
Kostas Vaxevanis, editor in chief of the Greek weekly magazine Hot Doc, was arrested at the end of October for publishing a list with the ... » more
Kostas Vaxevanis, editor in chief of the Greek weekly magazine Hot Doc, was arrested at the end of October for publishing a list with the names of over 2,000 tax evaders. In the liberal daily Die Zeit he describes why the arresting officers kissed and hugged him before taking him into custody. The list "contained the names of the Greek politicians, publicists, businesspeople, ministers, media owners and bankers who until then had benefited from immunity granted by their political benefactors. That's why the officers who arrested me immediately demonstrated their solidarity. They experience the contradictions and hypocrisy of those in power on a day to day basis. The successive Greek governments do not come across as unsympathetic and unpopular just because of the rigorous austerity measures they've introduced. They're using the crisis to serve certain interests. ... Greece is ruled by a mutually supportive elite. By businesspeople who are engaged in illicit dealings, politicians who aid them and journalists who hide the truth instead of revealing it. All over the world the media has reported on my arrest and the proceedings against me - but not in Greece."
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Main focus of Wednesday, 28. November 2012
The stock markets reacted with cautious optimism on Tuesday to the agreement on reducing Greece's debt. The package of measures must now be approved by ... » more
The stock markets reacted with cautious optimism on Tuesday to the agreement on reducing Greece's debt. The package of measures must now be approved by the national parliaments. While some see the package as well-deserved support for the long-suffering Greeks, others believe state bankruptcy would have been the best solution.
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To Vima Online - Greece | Wednesday, 28. November 2012
The left-liberal online paper To Vima fears the consequences of implementing the austerity policy agreed with the creditors: » more
The left-liberal online paper To Vima fears the consequences of implementing the austerity policy agreed with the creditors: "Now Greece must fulfil its duties in practice. … The austerity measures will worsen the recession and push society even closer to the abyss, boost support for the extremist political parties, increase unemployment and plunge a large part of the population into misery. It will turn out that several measures are not feasible because many of the prognoses are based on a budget that doesn't take account of the actual revenues. The implementation of the so-called structural reforms so closely observed from abroad will prove particularly difficult. They will meet with stiff opposition from Greek society and in many cases the process will resemble a looting. ... The government will be confronted with this every time something is privatised."
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Kurier - Austria | Wednesday, 28. November 2012
The new loans won't solve Greece's problems but they will help the speculators and Angela Merkel's election campaign, the liberal daily Kurier complains: » more
The new loans won't solve Greece's problems but they will help the speculators and Angela Merkel's election campaign, the liberal daily Kurier complains: "The ones who benefit are the gamblers in the hedge funds who can now be certain they have a bombproof deal. The Greek state will buy back its worthless bonds from them with the 'bailout' money from the rest of Europe. One can hardly imagine a more sophisticated form or redistribution from the bottom up. … And all this because it's politically expedient? In Germany, Angela Merkel is hoping to be re-elected in 2013. So from her point of view there can be no sustainable, i.e. expensive solution for Athens for the time being. Because that would mean the waiving of debts, and that would apparently be too much to expect of the German (and Austrian) voters. Merkel wants to avoid informing the voters of the true state of affairs at literally any cost. This is why this debt haircut in instalments is being stage-managed. But it won't make the least bit of difference to the plight of the Greeks."
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Jyllands-Posten - Denmark | Wednesday, 28. November 2012
The liberal daily Jyllands-Posten is less than enthusiastic about the agreement, arguing that national bankruptcy would have been the better solution: » more
The liberal daily Jyllands-Posten is less than enthusiastic about the agreement, arguing that national bankruptcy would have been the better solution: "The bitter reality is hard to swallow and politically inopportune, but the truth is that Greece, which lacks a sensible political leadership, would probably have been better off with an orderly national bankruptcy and an exit from the Eurozone. The economic decline after national bankruptcy could not be worse than the past six years of recession into which the debt crisis has plunged the country. Such a solution would have forced the Greeks to get their own act together instead of pinning the blame on the IMF, the ECB, the EU Commission and the governments in the other Eurozone countries. An improvement in the economy could be Greece's salvation, but the debt will be an intolerable burden on the country for decades to come."
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Le Monde - France | Wednesday, 28. November 2012
The agreement on a plan for reducing Greece's debt is praiseworthy indeed, the liberal daily Le Monde writes: » more
The agreement on a plan for reducing Greece's debt is praiseworthy indeed, the liberal daily Le Monde writes: "Even when the topic is Greece and its sovereign debt, the Cassandras are not always right. Although the Europeans have in general oscillated between irresponsibility and spinelessness on this issue, there are some occasions when a step has been taken in the right direction. And that's what happened in Brussels on the night of Monday the 26th. So much the better for the Greeks. So much the better for the Eurozone. ... That night the 17 euro countries decided on a package of complex financial measures, putting at Greece's disposal 40 billion euros in funds. If required, further measures can be taken to cut the country's debt to 124 percent of GDP [the target set for 2020]. The agreement is intelligent, because the goal is what counts, and what inspires confidence on the markets. And the agreement is salutary because the Greeks, who have gone through much suffering, well deserve it."
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Main focus of Tuesday, 27. November 2012
After weeks of negotiations Greece is to receive money from its creditors once more. The Eurozone finance ministers, the ECB and the IMF on Tuesday ... » more
After weeks of negotiations Greece is to receive money from its creditors once more. The Eurozone finance ministers, the ECB and the IMF on Tuesday morning agreed a plan for reducing the country's debt, meaning that Athens can count on 44 billion euros in loans from December. Greece can now breathe a sigh of relief, some commentators write, while others stress that without a debt writedown the deal is worth nothing.
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Il Sole 24 Ore - Italy | Tuesday, 27. November 2012
Without a second debt haircut for Greece, the plan for reducing the country's debt won't be worth much, the liberal-conservative business paper Il Sole 24 Ore notes: » more
Without a second debt haircut for Greece, the plan for reducing the country's debt won't be worth much, the liberal-conservative business paper Il Sole 24 Ore notes: "The attempt to reduce Greece's debt burden to a sustainable level without undertaking a second debt writedown is a Sisyphean task. And yet still the hard-liners of the North, led by Berlin, are preventing a writedown because they don't want to accept a potential loss of capital. … Three years of austerity have still not reduced Athens' debt. Instead the country threatens to drift from an economic crisis into a political and social one, particularly since extremist positions are gaining increasing support among the population. The Greeks are sick of hovering on the brink of disaster and waiting for a definitive solution, as they have done for the past 36 months. To further postpone the decision on Greece until after the parliamentary elections in Germany in September 2013 - this is what would be truly no longer 'sustainable'."
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Wiener Zeitung - Austria | Tuesday, 27. November 2012
The proposed solutions for reducing Greece's debt are too conventional, and dishonest to boot, the liberal state-owned daily Wiener Zeitung writes, arguing for extremely long credit periods instead: » more
The proposed solutions for reducing Greece's debt are too conventional, and dishonest to boot, the liberal state-owned daily Wiener Zeitung writes, arguing for extremely long credit periods instead: "We must do away with the fiction that Athens can pay back its debts within a short period of time. At the same there can be no question of a debt haircut. How can that work? Simple. The credit periods will simply have to be extended, and massively at that, at best stretching over 50 to 100 years. Is this nonsense? Well, power plants are amortised over 50 years, because they're expensive and they have long running periods. Does a state not live even longer than a power plant? And the Greeks need low interest rates, meaning they need the EU's help in this domain. ... However such ideas don't fit into conventional schemes, and for that reason the EU finance ministers will stick to strictly conventional solutions and go on telling tall tales."
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Protagon - Greece | Tuesday, 27. November 2012
After an agreement has been reached between the Eurozone finance ministers, the ECB and the IMF, the web portal Protagon expresses relief: » more
After an agreement has been reached between the Eurozone finance ministers, the ECB and the IMF, the web portal Protagon expresses relief: "For the first time in three years we can start planning for the long term again. … Six months after the election the government can be confident that there will be sufficient time in the political arena for the 'pro-European front' in Greek politics to realign its forces. The opposition will have a hard time criticising [yesterday's decision]. Naturally it will fix on the 24 billion in bailout funds earmarked for the banks, and will oppose this. … If we now receive plausible reassurance that we will remain in the Eurozone we can expect investors and capital to return to the country. But this process will take time; it won't all happen at once."
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Ta Nea - Greece | Thursday, 22. November 2012
Several metropolitans of the Greek Orthodox Church have publicly declared their support for the neo-fascist party Golden Dawn. In the left-liberal daily Ta Nea, Kostis Papaioannou, a member of the Greek Commission for Human and Civil Rights, calls on the Church's leadership to take a clear stance against right-wing extremism: » more
Several metropolitans of the Greek Orthodox Church have publicly declared their support for the neo-fascist party Golden Dawn. In the left-liberal daily Ta Nea, Kostis Papaioannou, a member of the Greek Commission for Human and Civil Rights, calls on the Church's leadership to take a clear stance against right-wing extremism: "It is very important - for society as a whole and for the Church in particular - to oppose right-wing extremism. Otherwise a couple of decades from now the Church will have to justify its behaviour, as it did with its attitude towards the military dictatorship. The lack of a joint official statement by the Church leadership cannot be justified with the argument of political neutrality. We don't expect the Church to get involved in party-political rivalries, but simply to adopt a fundamental stance on common values. ... Opposing Nazism and paganism is not interfering in politics. Rather it is an important duty of an institution which has the spiritual and social standing of the Church."
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El País - Spain | Thursday, 22. November 2012
The finance ministers of the Eurozone again failed to reach an agreement on paying out the next instalment of the bailout for Greece on Tuesday, postponing further discussion until next Monday. But these meetings are pointless as long as there is no consensus on a debt restructuring, the left-liberal daily El País warns: » more
The finance ministers of the Eurozone again failed to reach an agreement on paying out the next instalment of the bailout for Greece on Tuesday, postponing further discussion until next Monday. But these meetings are pointless as long as there is no consensus on a debt restructuring, the left-liberal daily El País warns: "The attempts to square the circle are not working. You can't reduce the debt to 120 percent of GDP by 2020 without negotiating a debt haircut. The blockade of loans for Greece, the constant delays of the tough negotiations and the differences of opinion between Europe and the IMF are a consequence of Europe's unwillingness to accept a gradual and proportional debt restructuring to which both private and state institutions contribute and bear their part of the costs. As long as the European governments refuse to accept this simple truth, Greece will have to bear the torment of endless Euro Group meetings without any results."
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To Vima Online - Greece | Wednesday, 21. November 2012
In the negotiations over the payment of further financial aid for Greece, the Eurozone finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund failed to reach a consensus on Tuesday, meaning Athens must continue to wait for the payment of the next instalment. The left-liberal online paper To Vima considers the possibility of Athens having to save itself: » more
In the negotiations over the payment of further financial aid for Greece, the Eurozone finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund failed to reach a consensus on Tuesday, meaning Athens must continue to wait for the payment of the next instalment. The left-liberal online paper To Vima considers the possibility of Athens having to save itself: "The International Monetary Fund is unbending and our European partners still distrust us. Clearly any future solution will not be commensurate to the efforts and sacrifices of the Greek people. In the event that the Greek issue continues to be postponed the country must begin to consider more drastic alternatives. Further delay will only increase distrust, worsen the political and economic mood in the country and crush any hope of the situation stabilising. In this case the Greek parties must begin to seek practical solutions that are oriented solely towards national interests."
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Naftemporiki - Greece | Tuesday, 20. November 2012
Some of the largest Greek firms, such as Coca-Cola Hellenic and the dairy chain FAGE, are moving their headquarters out of the country. The government must take urgent action to reverse this trend by fighting corruption in Greece's administrative structures, the conservative business paper Naftemporiki warns: » more
Some of the largest Greek firms, such as Coca-Cola Hellenic and the dairy chain FAGE, are moving their headquarters out of the country. The government must take urgent action to reverse this trend by fighting corruption in Greece's administrative structures, the conservative business paper Naftemporiki warns: "These companies are not seeking cheaper labour to reduce their production costs. They are annoyed by the inefficiency and corruption of Greece's public administration, which obstructs their daily business and burdens companies with unexpected costs. ... The government is trying to 'save the country' right now. Part of this effort should be to preserve its entrepreneurial potential, which so far it has failed to do. While the government tries in vain to attract new investment in Greece, the doors are wide open for investors and businesses already based here to leave."
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Magyar Nemzet - Hungary | Friday, 16. November 2012
The EU Commission and the International Monetary Fund are at odds over whether Greece should be given until 2020 or 2022 to reduce its huge national debt to 120 percent of GDP. In the eyes of the conservative daily Magyar Nemzet, Greece won't be able to reach this target if it remains constricted by the stringent austerity policies it has been forced to adopt until now: » more
The EU Commission and the International Monetary Fund are at odds over whether Greece should be given until 2020 or 2022 to reduce its huge national debt to 120 percent of GDP. In the eyes of the conservative daily Magyar Nemzet, Greece won't be able to reach this target if it remains constricted by the stringent austerity policies it has been forced to adopt until now: "Since the European Union stipulated how the Greeks must handle the crisis, the country's national debt has risen to 180 percent (!) of GDP, three times the amount allowed in the Eurozone. ... And now the EU and the IMF are arguing about when this astronomical figure can be brought down to 120 percent. A hopeless situation. ... Hopeless because the EU and the IMF continue to ask for exactly what they have been demanding up to now, namely one drastic austerity package after the next. As a result of these austerity measures the Greek economy has shrunk by 25 to 30 percent within the last six years."
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Naftemporiki - Greece | Friday, 16. November 2012
According to the Greek government this Friday was the deadline for the country to receive the next credit instalment of approximately 31 billion euros without which the state would have to file for bankruptcy. Now, with a decision yet to be reached on when the instalment will be paid, it's clear that the threat was just a ploy, the conservative business paper Naftemporiki criticises: » more
According to the Greek government this Friday was the deadline for the country to receive the next credit instalment of approximately 31 billion euros without which the state would have to file for bankruptcy. Now, with a decision yet to be reached on when the instalment will be paid, it's clear that the threat was just a ploy, the conservative business paper Naftemporiki criticises: "According to the last warning of the prime minister and the minister for economic affairs, we will go bankrupt today. Before the vote on the new austerity package and the budget was held they warned that the state would go bankrupt on November 16 if the austerity measures weren't passed and Greece didn't receive the next instalment. They said the country would no longer be able to import medications or food, and that the international creditors would confiscate Greek ships in foreign ports! … These warnings were nothing but a communication trick that will lose its effectiveness if it is used every time the government wants to push through a harsh austerity package."
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La Repubblica - Italy | Wednesday, 14. November 2012
The coordinated strike is an important declaration of solidarity in these times of ruthless austerity, the left-liberal daily La Repubblica applauds: » more
The coordinated strike is an important declaration of solidarity in these times of ruthless austerity, the left-liberal daily La Repubblica applauds: "Admittedly in this moment of deep recession the strike may be regarded as a blunt weapon, or even the 'privilege' of those who still have work. But the opposite is true: this strike mobilises employees who are hard hit by the prevailing austerity policy. This goes above all for the youths who see the measures not as a necessary purgatory that will eventually bring them to heaven but as an eternal hellfire. … One day people will realise that the push to reduce debt has been taken to crazy extremes. And they say international solidarity doesn't make sense in such a situation? It is gradually dawning on us that the amputation of Europe which began in Greece won't spare Northern Europe. It's normal for this view to take root first among the trade unions and then among the parties."
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Kathimerini - Greece | Tuesday, 13. November 2012
At least the social plight is causing the employees in the European debtor states to join forces for a united cause, the conservative daily Kathimerini comments approvingly: » more
At least the social plight is causing the employees in the European debtor states to join forces for a united cause, the conservative daily Kathimerini comments approvingly: "Unfortunately the unemployment rate is also very high in Portugal, Spain and Ireland - so it's not just affecting the 'disobedient' Greeks. In these countries too, young people find themselves forced to emigrate. There too, the austerity policy is destroying the welfare state. There too, people regard Merkel with distrust. … There too, people are organising one demonstration after another, as if they had been infected by the 'Greek virus'. In these countries too there has been a whole series of suicides, like those in Spain because of the evictions. The differences among the crisis-hit Pigs states no longer exist. On the contrary, they all face the same problems and are all being tyrannised by external forces, so they must coordinate their efforts. They must do what their governments are avoiding doing. Because in Greece's case the government is cooperating with Germany rather than with its natural allies in Southern Europe."
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eldiario.es - Spain | Wednesday, 14. November 2012
This is the first pan-European strike, writes Ignacio Fernández Toxo, the president of Spain's largest trade union CCOO, on the online newspaper eldiario.es's blog Zona Crítica: » more
This is the first pan-European strike, writes Ignacio Fernández Toxo, the president of Spain's largest trade union CCOO, on the online newspaper eldiario.es's blog Zona Crítica: "For the first time in the history of Europe's trade unions, employees in Portugal, Greece, Italy and Spain will strike simultaneously. The European Trade Union Confederation declared the Day of Action and Solidarity in protest at the austerity policies and cuts that are leading to recession and mass unemployment above all in the countries in the south of the continent. In our country there are many reasons to strike. The conservative government of the People's Party has decided to adopt a pioneering role within Europe's Right, implementing along with Greece and Portugal the harshest programme of spending cuts and social welfare cutbacks. It is incapable of standing up to the German chancellor and disobeying her orders."
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Der Standard - Austria | Wednesday, 14. November 2012
Euro Group chief Jean-Claude Juncker and IMF boss Christine Lagarde are at loggerheads over Greece's debt reduction schedule and a potential second haircut. The left-liberal daily Der Standard is not surprised: » more
Euro Group chief Jean-Claude Juncker and IMF boss Christine Lagarde are at loggerheads over Greece's debt reduction schedule and a potential second haircut. The left-liberal daily Der Standard is not surprised: "The IMF has an easier time telling the truth without beating about the bush. This is less to do with moral superiority than with accountability: IMF decisions are made behind closed doors. By contrast the politicians of the Eurozone are responsible to their electorates and must justify how they spend the taxpayers' money. And more importantly: the IMF has it easy because it doesn't have to bear the losses incurred by the different programmes. This standard but unwritten practice certainly merits a discussion. But for that the Europeans would have to first prepare the terrain by putting their cards on the table and explaining to the public that the loans granted to Athens will never be fully repaid. Time is ticking away. The last one picks up the tab."
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Il Sole 24 Ore - Italy | Tuesday, 13. November 2012
According to the troika's estimates, by 2016 the delays in reducing Greece's deficit will have cost more than 30 billion euros. But unfortunately there is no consensus on how to compensate for these additional costs, the liberal-conservative business paper Il Sole 24 Ore complains: » more
According to the troika's estimates, by 2016 the delays in reducing Greece's deficit will have cost more than 30 billion euros. But unfortunately there is no consensus on how to compensate for these additional costs, the liberal-conservative business paper Il Sole 24 Ore complains: "The additional costs could be covered partly by reducing debt thanks to lower interest rates and partly by repurchasing debt or extending the maturity deadlines. ... It is no coincidence that the draft version of the troika report lacks a debt sustainability analysis. This is precisely the point on which the international creditors are at odds. The IMF wants a drastic debt restructuring to bring Greece's debt ratio down to 120 percent of the GDP by 2020, whereas the EU Commission and the European Central Bank want to reduce the debts with the aid of less drastic measures."
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taz - Germany | Tuesday, 13. November 2012
Although the troika has given Greece a positive assessment the Eurozone finance ministers have postponed paying the next instalment of bailout funds. Germany is playing for time in view of the upcoming elections and jeopardising more than just Germany's credibility, the left-leaning daily taz argues: » more
Although the troika has given Greece a positive assessment the Eurozone finance ministers have postponed paying the next instalment of bailout funds. Germany is playing for time in view of the upcoming elections and jeopardising more than just Germany's credibility, the left-leaning daily taz argues: "Since October [the German finance minister] Schäuble has known that it will cost even more money to bail out Greece. IMF boss Christine Lagarde gave it to him in writing: the mountain of debt is growing dangerously despite - or because of - the austerity policy. Without a new debt haircut or billions in additional aid Greece simply can't be saved. But with the start of the campaign for the next parliamentary elections, Schäuble and his chancellor prefer to play for time. In doing so they are endangering not only the Greek bailout. They are also jeopardising the credibility of Germany and the entire Eurozone. Merkel and Schäuble must finally recognise that their policy for Greece has failed, and that the bill for that failure will be hefty."
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Eleftheros Typos - Greece | Monday, 12. November 2012
Austerity protesters draped black mourning sashes over Lisbon's monuments during a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday, while an online campaign called on the Portuguese to wear black for the duration of her visit and a hundred intellectuals declared Merkel persona non grata. The conservative daily Eleftheros Typos expresses admiration for Portugal's protest culture: » more
Austerity protesters draped black mourning sashes over Lisbon's monuments during a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday, while an online campaign called on the Portuguese to wear black for the duration of her visit and a hundred intellectuals declared Merkel persona non grata. The conservative daily Eleftheros Typos expresses admiration for Portugal's protest culture: "Here in Greece people are exhausted. They no longer understand what's going on and don't know what to think. What will go through their heads when they hear that 100 artists and intellectuals in Portugal declared Merkel persona non grata in an open letter when her visit was announced? The Greeks look to Portugal and recall that neither the artists nor most intellectuals dared to do such a thing here. On the contrary, our intellectuals called on us in television programmes to stay calm, be obedient and behave like good children."
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Gazeta Wyborcza - Poland | Tuesday, 13. November 2012
The troika wants to give Greece two more years to consolidate its finances. But that will only postpone a real solution to the problem writes Marcin Mróz, chief economist a the bank BNP Paribas Polska, in a commentary for the liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza: » more
The troika wants to give Greece two more years to consolidate its finances. But that will only postpone a real solution to the problem writes Marcin Mróz, chief economist a the bank BNP Paribas Polska, in a commentary for the liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza: "With this move Europe is only trying to buy time in the hope that the situation in Greece will improve through a revival of its economy. But that's a risky bet, and Europe could easily miscalculate. The problems of Greece are the same as in Spain. In both countries drastic programmes have been introduced to consolidate the budget and save money, although that won't produce any economic growth. The programmes are just meant to buy time. ... You push the delay button and hope the economy will revive on its own."
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Kurier - Austria | Monday, 12. November 2012
The help from the donor countries is half-hearted and ultimately will only postpone Greece's bankruptcy rather than averting it, the liberal daily Kurier writes: » more
The help from the donor countries is half-hearted and ultimately will only postpone Greece's bankruptcy rather than averting it, the liberal daily Kurier writes: "Greece will continue to receive help to avoid its going bankrupt. … However the EU donor countries, including Austria, are turning the whole affair into an undignified spectacle. Because despite the repeated resolutions with each day that passes it becomes clearer that the final act of the Greek tragedy is already playing out. It's just a matter of time before the bankruptcy wolves close in for the kill. How else can we interpret the fact that the finance ministers failed to adopt a resolution at their decisive meeting on Monday, and are waiting until the last minute to give the green light on Wednesday. … But to prevent bankruptcy they're paying out just one instalment of the next tranche, rather than the whole amount. … Europe is just playing for time - and even then it's keeping the price as low as possible. This is not what long-term, sustainable solutions look like."
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Naftemporiki - Greece | Monday, 12. November 2012
The Greek parliament approved the 2013 budget on Sunday night. With its green light for the 13.5 billion euro austerity package it fulfils the second prerequisite for receiving further emergency loans. But there is little expectation that the next instalment of 31.5 billion euros will be released at the meeting of the Eurozone finance ministers this Monday. The conservative daily Naftemporiki reminds the EU partners of their duties: » more
The Greek parliament approved the 2013 budget on Sunday night. With its green light for the 13.5 billion euro austerity package it fulfils the second prerequisite for receiving further emergency loans. But there is little expectation that the next instalment of 31.5 billion euros will be released at the meeting of the Eurozone finance ministers this Monday. The conservative daily Naftemporiki reminds the EU partners of their duties: "Our country has fulfilled all its obligations and is now waiting for feedback from its creditors. … But up to now it doesn't look like they will react any time soon. This delay is probably a result of the power struggle in the Eurozone. And naturally it is also connected to the technocratic debates and controversies over what to do about Greece's debts and further financial requirements. But these issues should have been resolved long ago and should not now serve as an excuse for delaying the country's financing. … Today our EU partners have the chance to demonstrate their solidarity."
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To Vima Online - Greece | Thursday, 8. November 2012
The Greek parliament approved a new austerity package totalling 13.5 billion euros on Wednesday evening. The vote was regarded as a pre-requisite for the crisis-stricken country to receive its next credit instalment. But the creditors continue to vacillate, the left-liberal online paper To Vima writes, calling adamantly for Greece not to tolerate this behaviour: » more
The Greek parliament approved a new austerity package totalling 13.5 billion euros on Wednesday evening. The vote was regarded as a pre-requisite for the crisis-stricken country to receive its next credit instalment. But the creditors continue to vacillate, the left-liberal online paper To Vima writes, calling adamantly for Greece not to tolerate this behaviour: "Samaras must react now and demand the immediate payment of the credit instalment. Greece's politicians and people are making huge sacrifices only to be humiliated like this. If the creditors are trying to hurt the feelings of the Greek people like this there is no alternative to voluntary withdrawal from the Eurozone. And this would also mean its automatic collapse. The European must stop playing games with the Greek people. We've had enough of this."
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All available articles from » Antonis Karakousis
TVXS - Greece | Thursday, 8. November 2012
The Greek parliament on Wednesday approved by a slim majority a new austerity package that foresees billions in spending cuts and tax hikes. Tens of thousands of people had gathered in Athens to protest the measures. According to the online portal TVXS, the new austerity package is the final act in the Greek drama: » more
The Greek parliament on Wednesday approved by a slim majority a new austerity package that foresees billions in spending cuts and tax hikes. Tens of thousands of people had gathered in Athens to protest the measures. According to the online portal TVXS, the new austerity package is the final act in the Greek drama: "The new package is so harsh that it simply cannot be followed by another. Whichever way you look at it, this is the 'Final Solution'. Like the final act in a major drama, the 153 'yes' votes represent a catharsis. ... Not only will the new package compound the damage which the two previous packages have already caused. ... It contains all the necessary ingredients to turn Greece into a Latin-American style banana republic. ... If Greece ever emerges from the crisis it will be a far poorer country, completely different to what it was 20 years ago. But of course only if the austerity package is actually implemented."
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Berlingske - Denmark | Thursday, 8. November 2012
Europe's political leaders should finally heed economist John Maynard Keynes in their efforts to save the euro, writes economics professor Svend E. Hougaard Jensen in the liberal daily Berlingske: » more
Europe's political leaders should finally heed economist John Maynard Keynes in their efforts to save the euro, writes economics professor Svend E. Hougaard Jensen in the liberal daily Berlingske: "After World War I Keynes became worried about the political consequences of the external demands (coming above all from Britain) for austerity in Germany, and the resulting unemployment. Today, too, the austerity policies being called for by Germany (!) may become so brutal that it will be difficult to establish governments in the political centre with broad popular support. When all we hear is demands for across-the-board austerity and the economic policy instruments at hand are extremely limited, political power does not seem very attractive at all. ... Greece is an interesting case here: without the possibility of determining its own monetary policy, depreciating its own currency or preventing capital flight, and confronted at the same time with calls for austerity, the door for extremist political powers is wide open. And these call the basic pillars of our current social model into question."
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All available articles from » Svend E. Hougaard Jensen
To Vima Online - Greece | Wednesday, 7. November 2012
Germany is not so happy about Obama's win, the online paper To Vima claims, hoping that the new-old president will prevent Europe from being turned into a German colony: » more
Germany is not so happy about Obama's win, the online paper To Vima claims, hoping that the new-old president will prevent Europe from being turned into a German colony: "Obama's re-election is a thorn in the German government's side. It believes Romney, as a proponent of extreme liberalism, would be better and more suited to Germany's interests. Obama bothers the German government because more than once he has tried to 'brake' the Greek disaster. Moreover he doesn't believe the austerity drive can 'save' the countries and economies. Obama and Merkel, the US and the 'German Europe', are now entering a new phase in their relations. No one can predict where it will lead - precisely because Berlin is sticking so doggedly to its course. Obama must now decide whether he will allow Europe to be turned into a German 'colony', as Germany, aided by the debt crisis, has been trying to do for the past three years."
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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Elections, » Germany, » Greece, » Europe, » U.S.
All available articles from » Giorgos Malouchos
Imerisia - Greece | Monday, 5. November 2012
Under the pressure of nationwide strikes the Greek parliament plans to hold a ballot on the new 13.5 billion austerity package on Wednesday. The junior partner in Antonis Samaras' government, the left-liberal party Dimar, wants to abstain. The business paper Imerisia calls on the politicians to approve the measures: » more
Under the pressure of nationwide strikes the Greek parliament plans to hold a ballot on the new 13.5 billion austerity package on Wednesday. The junior partner in Antonis Samaras' government, the left-liberal party Dimar, wants to abstain. The business paper Imerisia calls on the politicians to approve the measures: "Samaras' dramatic warning about the need to close ranks in Europe and protect the country 'from disaster' accurately reflects the situation. ... In these critical hours the political system must assume its responsibility. The future of the country depends on the votes of these MPs; they will determine the economic course and social cohesion for the coming decades. When the future of the country is at stake, the fate of this or that party means little. If the economy goes bankrupt they too will collapse anyway."
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Ependytis - Greece | Sunday, 4. November 2012
The Greek journalist Kostas Vaxevanis was acquitted on Thursday. He had been arrested and put on trial after Hot Doc, the tabloid magazine he edits, published a list of alleged Greek tax evaders. According to columnist Giannis Kibouropoulos in the weekly Ependitis, one could compile many more lists of those to blame for Greece's plight: » more
The Greek journalist Kostas Vaxevanis was acquitted on Thursday. He had been arrested and put on trial after Hot Doc, the tabloid magazine he edits, published a list of alleged Greek tax evaders. According to columnist Giannis Kibouropoulos in the weekly Ependitis, one could compile many more lists of those to blame for Greece's plight: "If we had data about every possible tax haven we would have a better overview of the large-scale theft that has been going on in our country in recent decades. ... The money that has been scattered in all directions during the last three crisis years tells the story of our economic decline. It exposes all the little and big raids to which our society has been subjected. … The lists of wealth recount the tales of thieves. They tell of theft through the [Greek] stock exchange, the theft of state and EU subsidies, theft with the aid of market liberalisation, theft through the corruption of officials, theft facilitated by the Olympic Games 2004 bubble, theft under the aegis of the financial big bang, theft aided by Europe's delusions of grandeur. … Now we have the opportunity to find out who the big perpetrators of this large-scale theft are. With or without the help of lists."
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All available articles from » Giannis Kibouropoulos
TVXS - Greece | Thursday, 1. November 2012
Greece's journalist went on strike on Wednesday in protest at government plans to merge their financially stable health insurance scheme with the government scheme, which is running a huge deficit. The website TVXS voices surprise that the journalists staged no protests against the persecution of their colleague Kostas Vaxevanis or the suspension of two journalists by the state television broadcaster: » more
Greece's journalist went on strike on Wednesday in protest at government plans to merge their financially stable health insurance scheme with the government scheme, which is running a huge deficit. The website TVXS voices surprise that the journalists staged no protests against the persecution of their colleague Kostas Vaxevanis or the suspension of two journalists by the state television broadcaster: "So the tradition continues according to which Greek journalists have never gone on strike to defend press freedom, as all their colleagues in other countries have done. This attitude reinforces the image journalists have in Greece: a pack of thick-skinned and often corrupt people who react with indifference to the problems of their fellow citizens, mislead them and are not interested in honest coverage, but only in their own problems. And the immoral and distorted coverage of the shocking events in our country reaffirms this image."
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Il Sole 24 Ore - Italy | Friday, 2. November 2012
The Greek parliament is due to vote on raising the retirement age to 67 and cutting pensions by up to ten percent next Wednesday. However according to the Greek Supreme Court of Audit these reforms demanded by the troika may be unconstitutional. If they are not implemented Greece won't receive any more money, the liberal-conservative business paper Il Sole 24 Ore comments: » more
The Greek parliament is due to vote on raising the retirement age to 67 and cutting pensions by up to ten percent next Wednesday. However according to the Greek Supreme Court of Audit these reforms demanded by the troika may be unconstitutional. If they are not implemented Greece won't receive any more money, the liberal-conservative business paper Il Sole 24 Ore comments: "This time it is neither the angry people nor the opposition that are wrecking the government's plans. It is the warning issued by the Supreme Court of Audit. ... Even if the court's ruling is not binding, yesterday's warning represents a further obstacle in Prime Minister Samaras' race with time. A breach of the constitution could make it impossible for the agreements with the troika to be put into practice. It puts the coalition in an even tighter spot just a few days before the decisive ballot. Because without a positive outcome, the next credit instalment of 31 billion euros won't be released. And without this assistance Greece's state coffers will be empty in a matter of a few weeks."
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All available articles from » Roberta Miraglia
To Vima Online - Greece | Thursday, 1. November 2012
Evangelos Venizelos and Fotis Kouvelis, the leaders of the Greek government's two left-wing coalition partners, failed to take part in a parliamentary vote on the privatisation of state-owned companies which ended with the plan being approved by a slim majority on Wednesday. The online newspaper To Vima is incensed: » more
Evangelos Venizelos and Fotis Kouvelis, the leaders of the Greek government's two left-wing coalition partners, failed to take part in a parliamentary vote on the privatisation of state-owned companies which ended with the plan being approved by a slim majority on Wednesday. The online newspaper To Vima is incensed: "It's unbelievable and without precedent: in parliament laws are being passed in the absence of two of the three leaders of the political parties that form the government. A person who ducks out of votes cannot call himself a political leader. ... Evangelos Venizelos and Fotis Kouvelis have ignored what they themselves defined as their parties' line and agreed on with the creditors. ... Judging by the image the government projected on Wednesday it's clear that it won't survive another week."
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All available articles from » Vasilis Chiotis
Il Sole 24 Ore - Italy | Wednesday, 31. October 2012
Greece has concluded its negotiations with its international creditors on new austerity measures, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has announced. It's just a pity that the plans lack the approval of parliament, the liberal-conservative business paper Il Sole 24 Ore points out: » more
Greece has concluded its negotiations with its international creditors on new austerity measures, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has announced. It's just a pity that the plans lack the approval of parliament, the liberal-conservative business paper Il Sole 24 Ore points out: "No sooner had Prime Minister Samaras announced the conclusion of the negotiations than his coalition partners atttacked him from behind, causing the four-month-old coalition to falter. According to the socialist Pasok leader Evangelos Venizelos, the negotiations with the troika won't end until November 12 when the Euro Group makes its decision. And as if that weren't bad enough, the Democratic Left rejects all agreements with the troika regarding employment contracts and civil servants' salaries. Is this pure parliamentary tactics? Perhaps, but it's a risky game, especially considering that with just 176 out of 300 seats, the coalition has only a slim parliamentary majority. And the survival of the coalition is a basic condition for avoiding a political crisis with devastating consequences."
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All available articles from » Vittorio Da Rold
The Guardian - United Kingdom | Wednesday, 31. October 2012
Kostas Vaxevanis, chief editor of the Greek magazine Hot Doc, was taken into provisional custody on Sunday. In a commentary for the left-liberal daily The Guardian, he denounces the deceit and selfishness of the Geek elites: » more
Kostas Vaxevanis, chief editor of the Greek magazine Hot Doc, was taken into provisional custody on Sunday. In a commentary for the left-liberal daily The Guardian, he denounces the deceit and selfishness of the Geek elites: "The crisis in Greece wasn't caused by everyone. And not everyone is paying for the crisis. The exclusive, corrupt club of power tries to save itself by pretending to make efforts to save Greece. In reality, it is exacerbating Greece's contradictions, while Greece is teetering on the edge of a cliff. ... In the country that, as we like to remind ourselves, gave birth to democracy, democracy has become a strange new breed. Those in charge make sure that the right to vote comes across as democracy, while negating democracy in the way they abuse the rights voters give them. And justice remains in thrall to politics."
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All available articles from » Kostas Vaxevanis
TVXS - Greece | Tuesday, 30. October 2012
The Greek state television broadcaster Net TV suspended the presenters Marilena Katsimi and Kostas Arvanitis on Monday after they commented on reports of police torture by asking whether the minister of public order and citizen protection would resign. For the web portal TXVS, censorship in the Greek media is by no means a new phenomenon: » more
The Greek state television broadcaster Net TV suspended the presenters Marilena Katsimi and Kostas Arvanitis on Monday after they commented on reports of police torture by asking whether the minister of public order and citizen protection would resign. For the web portal TXVS, censorship in the Greek media is by no means a new phenomenon: "Before the economic crisis there was already a crisis of a moral and journalistic nature in the media. Then the economic crisis enabled cartels to secure enormous influence for themselves. It has become increasingly common for inconvenient journalists to be sacked and media entrepreneurs to interfere with journalistic work. This is something we are all aware of. But with the discontinuation of the programme with Arvanitis and Katsimi another threshold has been transgressed. ... Because there is not a single legal argument to back it up. The programme was cancelled simply because it didn't please the minister, the government and the management it had appointed."
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All available articles from » Femis Tzimas
Naftemporiki - Greece | Tuesday, 30. October 2012
The German Minister of Finances Wolfgang Schäuble on Sunday rejected proposals for a Greek debt haircut by the Eurozone nation, and the Greek government's negotiations with its international creditors regarding labour market reforms are also stalling. The conservative daily Naftemporiki calls for both the government and the creditors to adopt clear positions: » more
The German Minister of Finances Wolfgang Schäuble on Sunday rejected proposals for a Greek debt haircut by the Eurozone nation, and the Greek government's negotiations with its international creditors regarding labour market reforms are also stalling. The conservative daily Naftemporiki calls for both the government and the creditors to adopt clear positions: "Supposedly our time for being bailed out ran out long ago if wanted to adhere to the deadlines. But instead we continued with our delaying tactics - paradoxically, because we have already lost the game 0-3. So what are we trying to achieve? What is our strategy - apart from avoiding another goal being scored against us? … We must soon be told whether there will be a crash or not because no one can bear this uncertainty about our future any longer. And at least after a crash the survivors, if there are any, can begin with the healing process."
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All available articles from » Nikos Frantzis
Standart - Bulgaria | Sunday, 28. October 2012
A new icon is to help Bulgarian jobseekers find work. The miracle-working image of the Mother of God, which was brought to Sofia on Sunday from the Monastic Republic of Mount Athos in Greece, has already helped many believers find a job, according to the Orthodox Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow. If this is true the icon will have her work cut our for her in Bulgaria, with its twelve-percent unemployment, the daily Standart jokes: » more
A new icon is to help Bulgarian jobseekers find work. The miracle-working image of the Mother of God, which was brought to Sofia on Sunday from the Monastic Republic of Mount Athos in Greece, has already helped many believers find a job, according to the Orthodox Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow. If this is true the icon will have her work cut our for her in Bulgaria, with its twelve-percent unemployment, the daily Standart jokes: "'And please, oh Mother of God, find a job for me and my dearest ones!' Never heard such a prayer? Well then it's about time you did! Thanks to the miraculous icon, soon all unemployment policies will be a thing of the past. The unemployment agency belongs to yesterday, as of now this is a job for the wonder icon. ... The only problem is that it had little time to gain sufficient experience in finding people jobs and signing labour contracts in the Monastic Republic, and so it may now be completely overwhelmed here in Bulgaria. Until now the icon has had to find jobs for ten or at most a hundred people. But what will happen when hordes of unemployed Bulgarians kneel down in front of the Mother of God? She'll have to perform a very big miracle indeed!"
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All available articles from » Stella Stoyanova
TVXS - Greece | Monday, 29. October 2012
The chief editor of the Greek weekly Hot Doc, Kostas Vaxevanis, was taken into temporary custody on Sunday for publishing a list of more than 2,000 wealthy citizens with Swiss bank accounts. Back in 2010 Christine Lagarde, at the time French Minister of Finances, had handed over a CD containing the names of tax dodgers to her Greek counterpart Giorgos Papakonstantinou. The government is trying to protect corrupt politicians by having Vaxevanis arrested, the website TVXS contends: » more
The chief editor of the Greek weekly Hot Doc, Kostas Vaxevanis, was taken into temporary custody on Sunday for publishing a list of more than 2,000 wealthy citizens with Swiss bank accounts. Back in 2010 Christine Lagarde, at the time French Minister of Finances, had handed over a CD containing the names of tax dodgers to her Greek counterpart Giorgos Papakonstantinou. The government is trying to protect corrupt politicians by having Vaxevanis arrested, the website TVXS contends: "Papakonstantinou declared before a committee of inquiry that he didn't know the whereabouts of the original CD. … But it is by no means certain that he was telling the truth. It may well be that the list was manipulated. Because the names of relatives of several finance ministers of the Pasok party which have been circulating in the media for weeks now are missing from the list published by Hot Doc. Notwithstanding, the magazine was right to publish the list. … Vaxevanis' arrest is not just outrageous but a sign that the government is panicking and using all the means at its disposal to try and save the tottering Pasok leadership."
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Kaleva - Finland | Monday, 29. October 2012
The right-wing populist True Finns party more than doubled its previous score in the local elections on Sunday, receiving 12.3 percent of the vote. But its campaign focused mainly on topics beyond the realm of local issues, the liberal daily Kaleva criticises: » more
The right-wing populist True Finns party more than doubled its previous score in the local elections on Sunday, receiving 12.3 percent of the vote. But its campaign focused mainly on topics beyond the realm of local issues, the liberal daily Kaleva criticises: "The mood of popular protest seems to be taking root, and many Finns see the True Finns as the solution to every problem, from municipal reforms through to the organisation of the healthcare system and the euro crisis. The party's electoral programme contains many elements that have nothing to do with local politics, including among other things the Sulfur Directive, development aid, loans for Greece, EU contributions and mandatory Swedish [in schools]. The party leadership cleverly used Europe's economic problems in the local elections, which says something about how little the citizens know about their own society. ... What remains unclear is how the True Finns want to solve the economic problems of the municipalities and how they intend to organise healthcare in a country where the number of seniors is growing rapidly."
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Expansión - Spain | Monday, 29. October 2012
Mario Draghi has been head of the European Central Bank since 1 November 2011. The conservative business paper Expansión is very enthusiastic about his performance during his first year in office: » more
Mario Draghi has been head of the European Central Bank since 1 November 2011. The conservative business paper Expansión is very enthusiastic about his performance during his first year in office: "His predecessor Jean-Claude Trichet bequeathed him a very complex situation. Because in addition to the debt crisis in Greece, Ireland and Portugal, there was the critical situation in Italy and Spain. In his first year in office Draghi has had to react to an unprecendented crisis. The growing weakness of the peripheral economies even threatened the entire survival of the euro. Draghi reacted with great pragmatism and remarkable diplomatic skill. He was able to combine the ECB's main goal - price stability in the Eurozone - with measures aimed first of all at alleviating the financing problems and then bringing about a solution."
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Die Presse - Austria | Monday, 29. October 2012
According to media reports on Sunday the troika made up of the EU Commission, the ECB and the IMF is recommending further debt relief for Greece. The country is de facto insolvent, the liberal-conservative daily Die Presse writes and laments that the countries of the EU didn't leave the bailout operations to the IMF: » more
According to media reports on Sunday the troika made up of the EU Commission, the ECB and the IMF is recommending further debt relief for Greece. The country is de facto insolvent, the liberal-conservative daily Die Presse writes and laments that the countries of the EU didn't leave the bailout operations to the IMF: "The mistake was not to keep Greece in the Eurozone. Its exit would have hurt the country and dragged other states into misery. The mistake was for the euro partners to have got involved in the whole rescue operation. They should have left this difficult business to the IMF right from the start. This is the international organisation charged with helping bankrupt states. For Greece this path would certainly have been more painful, but perhaps shorter. For the rest of the Eurozone it would also have been expensive, but at least more honest."
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All available articles from » Wolfgang Böhm
Neue Zürcher Zeitung - Switzerland | Thursday, 25. October 2012
According to Eurostat figures released on Wednesday, the debt burden has risen in comparison to economic performance in most EU countries. Europe's politicians should react to the facts instead of trying to sugarcoat them, the liberal-conservative daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung demands: » more
According to Eurostat figures released on Wednesday, the debt burden has risen in comparison to economic performance in most EU countries. Europe's politicians should react to the facts instead of trying to sugarcoat them, the liberal-conservative daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung demands: "We're hearing from Italy, for example, that the country has made huge efforts to implement its reforms. ... But what do the statistics show? In Italy and even in Germany, public debt had risen faster than economic performance at the end of the first half of 2012, both year on year and in comparison to the previous quarter. That puts both countries in the dubious company of almost all other EU states, with the exception of Latvia and Sweden. That is, together with all the states whose economies were until recently still functioning well. The exception of Greece was merely the result of the forced debt relief, and even then we are surely only dealing with a temporary reduction. ... Europe's politicians will not be able to avoid distributing significantly less money."
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De Telegraaf - Netherlands | Thursday, 25. October 2012
Crisis-stricken Greece will be granted another two years to meets its austerity and reform targets, according to Greek Minister of Finances Giannis Stournaras. Europe should not under any circumstances loosen the reins, the right-leaning tabloid De Telegraaf warns: » more
Crisis-stricken Greece will be granted another two years to meets its austerity and reform targets, according to Greek Minister of Finances Giannis Stournaras. Europe should not under any circumstances loosen the reins, the right-leaning tabloid De Telegraaf warns: "It looks like the Greeks will get their new loan, but also like the earlier agreements on austerity measures will be put on the back burner. While the Greeks are convinced about the payment of new loans, the creditors (like the EU and the IMF) remain cautious. And this caution is justified. The Greek state is nowhere near the point it should have reached by now. The public deficits are high and the legislation that puts unnecessary constraints on companies has barely been reformed. The pressure on the Greeks to get their affairs in order must continue, otherwise there is zero chance of the billions in loans ever being repaid."
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Kathimerini - Greece | Tuesday, 23. October 2012
The cause of the Greek economic crisis is to be found in Europe's identity crisis, columnist Zeza Zikou writes in the conservative daily Kathimerini: » more
The cause of the Greek economic crisis is to be found in Europe's identity crisis, columnist Zeza Zikou writes in the conservative daily Kathimerini: "It is an identity crisis, a crisis of confidence, a crisis of representative democracy, a leadership and vision crisis, a crisis that has grown from a conflict of interests. The nation states are in conflict with the 'central planners' of the current neo-liberal world in Brussels and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and also with the financial capital that acts globally, aggressively and unrestrainedly. The state leaders have proven themselves to be far weaker: lacking a philosophy, respect for history, sensibility. Their actions are helplessly determined by their own personal obligations and mental stereotypes. This crisis also seems to be a field test for democracy and political culture, not just in Greece but all over Europe. The visible disharmony between society and politicians, the lack of legitimacy, the failure of the technocrats, the crisis of representation, the rise of new, aggressive nationalisms and the onslaught of hate stereotypes are affecting not just the weak and repeatedly battered Greece, but all Europe."
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All available articles from » Zeza Zikou
Protagon - Greece | Tuesday, 23. October 2012
The Greek Finance Minister Giannis Stournaras on Monday warned that many people would starve if the country didn't receive the next instalment of the bailout package soon. The economist Giannis Varoufakis argues on the website Protagon that on the contrary Greece and Europe would be much better off without the loans: » more
The Greek Finance Minister Giannis Stournaras on Monday warned that many people would starve if the country didn't receive the next instalment of the bailout package soon. The economist Giannis Varoufakis argues on the website Protagon that on the contrary Greece and Europe would be much better off without the loans: "It would be a good thing if we didn't receive either this or the other instalments - and if they hadn't given us those we have already received. Because they can't throw us out of the Eurozone they would then be forced to really do something about the crisis - not just in Greece but in other countries of the Eurozone. If they deny us the instalments the European Central Bank would be forced to find a solution both for the bank systems and for financing the members of the Eurozone - one that goes beyond the logic of loans. The result would be an end to the crisis from Greece to Ireland and from Spain to eastern Germany."
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All available articles from » Giannis Varoufakis
Lidové noviny - Czech Republic | Tuesday, 23. October 2012
The conflict between Germany and the UK over the EU budget is coming to a head. According to a report by the Financial Times Deutschland, Chancellor Angela Merkel is considering having the budget summit planned for November called off if Prime Minister David Cameron holds to his veto against a raise. The conservative daily Lidové noviny fears the British may react out of spite: » more
The conflict between Germany and the UK over the EU budget is coming to a head. According to a report by the Financial Times Deutschland, Chancellor Angela Merkel is considering having the budget summit planned for November called off if Prime Minister David Cameron holds to his veto against a raise. The conservative daily Lidové noviny fears the British may react out of spite: "Of course as far as the issue itself is concerned, Cameron's right. Why should an exception be made for the EU Commission when the governments that finance it are forced to adopt austerity plans? ... But in fact, compared with the conflict over the banking union this is just a side-show. The government in London generally takes a hard line vis-à-vis the EU. By the looks of it Cameron wants to promise his citizens a referendum on staying in the EU. A British exit from the EU would be a catastrophe. In the long term it would change the Union far more than a Greek exit from the Eurozone."
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All available articles from » Daniel Kaiser
Le Soir - Belgium | Friday, 19. October 2012
The calls for the introduction of an authority with the right to veto the national budgets of Eurozone countries is based on the false assumption that the current economic and financial crisis was caused by the irresponsible fiscal behaviour of certain countries, the left-liberal daily Le Soir writes: » more
The calls for the introduction of an authority with the right to veto the national budgets of Eurozone countries is based on the false assumption that the current economic and financial crisis was caused by the irresponsible fiscal behaviour of certain countries, the left-liberal daily Le Soir writes: "The move is meant to justify the very same national austerity programmes that have plunged the Eurozone into a recession, as well as the 'strengthened fiscal pact' which is currently being ratified and which will prove inapplicable since it is based on a concept of 'structural deficit' that has neither been proven nor observed. ... However it is wrong. With the exception of Greece, public finances are not the cause of the crisis. ... Nevertheless, Europe's politicians insist that the crisis is due to the irresponsibility of democracy, and so a safety device is necessary: an authority that is not politically responsible to citizens. What a strange notion of democratic legitimacy."
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All available articles from » Dominique Berns
Ependytis - Greece | Sunday, 21. October 2012
Of the roughly 1.2 million people out of work in Greece not even one in six receives government support, several daily newspaper reported last week. The weekly Ependytis criticises that this rapidly expanding group figures nowhere in the programmes of the political parties: » more
Of the roughly 1.2 million people out of work in Greece not even one in six receives government support, several daily newspaper reported last week. The weekly Ependytis criticises that this rapidly expanding group figures nowhere in the programmes of the political parties: "The unemployed exist merely as a frightening statistic, as a number that is rising rapidly, and as a tool used by the [government and the troika] to blackmail the 'privileged' who still have jobs. The unemployed feature neither in the negotiations between the government and the troika nor in the austerity measures - apart from in the cuts in unemployment benefits. ... Although the jobless are one of the groups showing most spectacular growth in Greek society and will soon be the largest group, they are the ones being excluded in all respects."
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Naftemporiki - Greece | Friday, 19. October 2012
The heads of state and government at the EU summit have congratulated Greece on its progress. EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy pointed to the "remarkable efforts of the Greek people" on Friday. The conservative daily Naftemporiki calls on the EU to show more solidarity instead of spouting praise: » more
The heads of state and government at the EU summit have congratulated Greece on its progress. EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy pointed to the "remarkable efforts of the Greek people" on Friday. The conservative daily Naftemporiki calls on the EU to show more solidarity instead of spouting praise: "The negotiations with the troika on new austerity measures have not yet been finalised. And it looks like they need to be finalised before we can start talking about the benefits we can expect from improved relations with our EU partners. In practice however it's clear that the purely technical discussions are over, and now it's time for political negotiation. ... So now that the politicians and not the technocrats are calling the shots we expect concrete actions rather than just words from our EU partners. These words won't solve the gigantic liquidity problems or secure our place in the Eurozone."
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Die Presse - Austria | Thursday, 18. October 2012
The EU's crisis policy looks increasingly like a game of hopscotch and is frustrating the people, the liberal-conservative daily Die Presse writes: » more
The EU's crisis policy looks increasingly like a game of hopscotch and is frustrating the people, the liberal-conservative daily Die Presse writes: "When the heads of state and government meet yet again this week in Brussels to find a solution for Greece and the euro the game of hopscotch will continue. French President François Hollande and Germany's Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble ... are trying to keep their customers happy with maximum demands aimed at sending the message 'At least I tried!'. The one is making a fresh demand for the introduction of euro bonds and influence over the wage policies of other countries; the other is calling for a powerful budget commissioner with total control over the austerity programmes of countries like Greece, Italy and Spain. … But in reality this conflict over which direction to take is doing nothing but increasing people's frustration at the inability of Europe's leaders to negotiate a common solution."
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Protagon - Greece | Thursday, 18. October 2012
Trade unions in Greece have called a general strike for today against the Greek government's new austerity programme. The news portal Protagon doubts the success of the numerous strikes in Greece: » more
Trade unions in Greece have called a general strike for today against the Greek government's new austerity programme. The news portal Protagon doubts the success of the numerous strikes in Greece: "Between 1980 and 2008 there were 38 general strikes. Italy comes second with 16, then France with 10 and Portugal with 3. Does the large number of strikes in Greece mean we have trade unions that take a tough stance against employers? After so many years one can hardly reach that conclusion. It only shows that the trade unions are acting either without thinking or at the behest of the parties - or they are fighting to maintain their own privileges. … The strikers are only successful when they don't make unrealistic demands (like scrapping the austerity package). If the strikes exhaust the employees, leave them disappointed and on top of that are undermined by trade unionists with party affiliations, then in the end the employers are the only winners."
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Blog EUROPP - United Kingdom | Tuesday, 16. October 2012
On the one hand the Greeks call Angela Merkel a Nazi, and on the other many support the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn. Political scientists Daphne Halikiopoulou and Sofia Vasilopoulou criticise such double standards on the London School of Economics' blog EUROPP: » more
On the one hand the Greeks call Angela Merkel a Nazi, and on the other many support the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn. Political scientists Daphne Halikiopoulou and Sofia Vasilopoulou criticise such double standards on the London School of Economics' blog EUROPP: "But here lies the contradiction of Greek nationalism: while on the one hand it seems to be directed against those foreign powers that many Greeks hold responsible for the continuation of the crisis, alluding similarities between the current German involvement in Greek economic affairs with the Nazi invasion of the 1940s; on the other, at the same time over 400,000 Greek citizens have recently voted a domestic neo-Nazi party into Parliament with 18 seats out of 300. Recent polls estimate Golden Dawn support at over ten per cent. How can a country protest against the imposition of a perceived 'Fourth Reich' but at the same time support a real Nazi threat from within?"
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Blog Pitsirikos - Greece | Monday, 15. October 2012
Thousands of journalists have lost their jobs in Greece because of the crisis, particularly in the print media. With everything that's going wrong in the country, the blogger Pitsirikos can't understand why they don't get active anyway: » more
Thousands of journalists have lost their jobs in Greece because of the crisis, particularly in the print media. With everything that's going wrong in the country, the blogger Pitsirikos can't understand why they don't get active anyway: "You've got blogs, online radios, web TV and much more at your disposal - even free of charge. The inactivity of the majority of journalists who have lost their jobs simply means: even before they lost their jobs they had no business being journalists. That might sound harsh, but it's not. Where are all the journalists whose opinions and reports appeared daily in the papers and magazines? Nowhere. ... It's easy to complain about the boss who you worked for obediently until not so long ago. It's also easy to complain about colleagues who still work for those bosses. ... But it's a lot harder to take your fate into your own hands - alone or in cooperation with other journalists."
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Kathimerini - Greece | Sunday, 14. October 2012
According to a report in The Guardian, 15 Greek anti-Nazi demonstrators claim to have been mistreated in prison. They say police hit them, filmed then naked and burnt their skin. The conservative daily Kathimerini complains about how little interest Greek society is showing in the case: » more
According to a report in The Guardian, 15 Greek anti-Nazi demonstrators claim to have been mistreated in prison. They say police hit them, filmed then naked and burnt their skin. The conservative daily Kathimerini complains about how little interest Greek society is showing in the case: "An incident is only treated seriously when it is covered in foreign media. This is proof that we are unable to judge what is happening to us. Someone else has to show us, guide us. The shock of the great Depression has caused our sensory system to atrophy. ... What is particularly shocking and extremely worrying is that we don't react immediately to a negative event, to general violence, to the disrespect of institutions, the violation of human rights, the unlawful behaviour of politicians and officials as well as the degradation of human life. We don't react at all. We are growing increasingly used to an ever greater dose of violence, insecurity, injustice, lies and degradation."
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România Liberă - Romania | Monday, 15. October 2012
The Nobel Committee's decision is a disappointment for Romanian historian Ovidiu Pecican. In the daily România Liberă he explains why: » more
The Nobel Committee's decision is a disappointment for Romanian historian Ovidiu Pecican. In the daily România Liberă he explains why: "Strictly speaking the EU has simply ignored its conflicts - in particular those on the Balkans - in Europe. And worse still: the EU even appears willing to expell its oldest Balkan and orthodox component, Greece. Simply because the country can't keep up with its economic expectations or satisfy the expectations of the politicians in Brussels, the EU is ready to undermine the whole system of values on which the EU is based. … Separating Greece from Europe, an idea several politicians are toying with, would mean Europe turning its back on part of itself, on its raison d'être. … Instead of giving it the Nobel Prize the EU should be reminded of the discriminations it tolerates. Because for the EU what counts is not winning prizes, but winning the trust of its citizens."
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Sydsvenskan - Sweden | Friday, 12. October 2012
IMF chief Lagarde's proposal to give Greece more time won't solve the dilemma the EU currently faces, the liberal daily Sydsvenskan laments: » more
IMF chief Lagarde's proposal to give Greece more time won't solve the dilemma the EU currently faces, the liberal daily Sydsvenskan laments: "Keeping Greece's head above water for two more years in the hope that the reforms will be implemented and prove effective will be expensive. Greece and the other crisis countries must reform their economies. On the one hand the EU should not become a transfer union, where the debts of the one country are automatically the debts of all the others. Principles are important. But on the other hand a certain pragmatism is also necessary. The demands put on Greece must be realistic, and the period for implementing them must be appropriate. Because the danger that the medication prescribed could prove fatal, at least in the case of Greece, is clear for all to see."
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Deutschlandfunk - Germany | Thursday, 11. October 2012
With her demand for the crisis countries to be given more time, IMF head Christine Lagarde is only trying to conceal the institution's perplexity, the news portal of German radio broadcaster Deutschlandfunk suspects: » more
With her demand for the crisis countries to be given more time, IMF head Christine Lagarde is only trying to conceal the institution's perplexity, the news portal of German radio broadcaster Deutschlandfunk suspects: "In the short term an extension for reaching the austerity targets may certainly be a source of relief in Greece and appear reasonable in view of Athens' hopeless state. But considered in the cold light of day it is in effect nothing more than playing for time. And it is more than questionable whether the other investors will play along after the harsh reaction of the German finance minister to the IMF chief's proposal. True, in recent years the International Monetary Fund has increasingly turned into a financial fire brigade, but it certainly does not have a ready-made solution for solving the debt crisis either."
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Kathimerini - Greece | Friday, 12. October 2012
The IMF's warnings about too much austerity and Angela Merkel's visit to Athens raise the conservative daily Kathimerini's hopes that the austerity measures will be eased: » more
The IMF's warnings about too much austerity and Angela Merkel's visit to Athens raise the conservative daily Kathimerini's hopes that the austerity measures will be eased: "The International Monetary Fund is exerting pressure for Greece to be given more money and more time to implement the austerity measures. But the countries and institutions of the Eurozone have been reticent in their reaction. This means that there are problems and so far nothing is certain. Nonetheless, the general mood now is far less threatening and the basic conditions are far more positive. In addition, Samaras' daring decision to invite Merkel to Greece has paid off. The chancellor's comment that she sees light at the end of the tunnel did not go unnoticed. The same goes for her statement that she will help Greece if Athens sticks to its course and executes structural reforms, as Samaras has promised to do."
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To Vima Online - Greece | Thursday, 11. October 2012
Most Greek media have reacted positively to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Athens on Tuesday. The left-liberal online daily To Vima also calls on Greek politicians to see the German chancellor's words as a wake-up call: » more
Most Greek media have reacted positively to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Athens on Tuesday. The left-liberal online daily To Vima also calls on Greek politicians to see the German chancellor's words as a wake-up call: "From now on our decisions must be strategic. Either we withstand the enormous pressure and the concomitant burden or we admit that we cannot bear the political, economic and social costs and steer another course. There is no middle solution. And every party must take a stand. At present there are no changes in Europe's policy - whether that is right or wrong remains to be seen. The time for playing games is over. ... We can no longer say yes to the Eurozone and no to the austerity measures. ... And the time has come to take definitive decisions and shoulder responsibility. Anything else would be just a tale from One Thousand and One Nights."
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Financial Times - United Kingdom | Wednesday, 10. October 2012
Angela Merkel has shown courage and sent the right signals, the liberal business paper Financial Times writes: » more
Angela Merkel has shown courage and sent the right signals, the liberal business paper Financial Times writes: "She has also answered two opposing camps of critics at home: the Social Democrats on the left, who argue she has been too hard on the Greeks; and her coalition partners on the right who believe she has not been tough enough. It is a difficult balancing act that the German chancellor has managed with some skill in recent months as Europe's debt crisis intensified. She gambled when she backed the European Central Bank's bond-buying programme, despite opposition from Jens Weidmann, Bundesbank president and did so again in flying to Athens. As for Mr Samaras, he now has to recognise the risks that Ms Merkel has taken. Only by swiftly completing the new austerity package and implementing long overdue structural reforms will he prove to still-sceptical Germans that Greece can be a trustworthy partner in Europe's recovery."
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Blog Pitsirikos - Greece | Tuesday, 9. October 2012
Merkel's visit to Athens has no significance for the Greeks and can do nothing to help save the country, blogger Pitsirikos writes: » more
Merkel's visit to Athens has no significance for the Greeks and can do nothing to help save the country, blogger Pitsirikos writes: "Thousands of Athenians demonstrated yesterday, as if it were Merkel who had elected this government and not them. But that's what we Greeks are like. We blame the Germans and the immigrants for our country's bankruptcy, as if they'd been in cahoots to destroy us. ... Merkel wants Greece to remain in the Eurozone. But it looks very much as if she's making fun of us, because any logically-minded person realises that Greece must leave the Eurozone on the double. Merkel's visit doesn't mean a thing. And when she comes next time or the time after that to officially and definitively conclude the sale of the country, no one will react and everyone will be submissive and well-behaved. Auf Wiedersehen, Mrs Merkel."
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Blog Gavin Hewitt's Europe - United Kingdom | Monday, 8. October 2012
When she visits Athens Angela Merkel should think hard about how to keep Greece in the Eurozone, writes Europe correspondent Gavin Hewitt on his blog for the BBC: » more
When she visits Athens Angela Merkel should think hard about how to keep Greece in the Eurozone, writes Europe correspondent Gavin Hewitt on his blog for the BBC: "The meeting is a gamble. If there is chaos it will only underline for the German public that Greece is a lost cause. Angela Merkel, however, is making a calculation. She is signalling that she wants Greece to stay in the Eurozone. She has silenced German politicians who in early summer were saying a Greek exit held no fears for them. ... Sooner or later the big questions will have to be answered. Does Greece need a further restructuring of its debt as the IMF is hinting, or even a third bailout? In the meantime the Greek prime minister is warning that conditions in Greece are similar to those in the Weimar Republic in Germany in the 1930s. Plenty for Chancellor Merkel to think about."
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