Sunday, February 22, 2015

No mercy for Athens – THE WORLD

No mercy for Athens – THE WORLD

On Friday evening Janis Varoufakis was in a difficult position. Greek Finance Minister was sitting in a basement room of the Council building in Brussels, the Greek and the European flag behind him, to talk about the compromise debt dispute. He had promised to answer honestly, and was asked how he would find it because that Portugal and Spain were entered for even tougher conditions against Greece .

“They make it difficult for me,” said the economist who wore the same jacket with turned-up collar, he is already in the recent discussions with the euro partners had slipped. Then he looked intently, as if considering how he could answer the question. “I promised to tell the truth,” he said hesitantly, “but there is such a thing as good behavior.”

As Varoufakis spoke these words, because he’d just have to post a setback. After weeks of wrangling, the Greek government had given up their fight against the austerity measures dictated by Brussels and keep the prospect of further credit in return. It was also considered a success by Finance Minister Schäuble, who had used significantly for tough conditions.

But the sober Schäuble was only something like the voice of a number of governments who had little understanding that Greece denied reforms they shouldered long. As it is said informed sources, Portugal’s Finance Minister Maria Luís Albuquerque Schäuble had even asked personally to stand firm.

So it is no longer in the negotiations at the end its been a matter of mitigating the joint statement came from the hand of Euro Group CEO Jeroen Dijsselbloem within the meaning of Greece. Rather, we have discussed about wishes from Portugal and Spain, even exacerbate the paper yet.

went through the lack of understanding in many countries that are under financial constraints or even at all utilities is great. “You asked us in the name of the Greek sovereignty, to increase the salaries of public servants in Greece, rather than lift the blockade ours?” Asked Yoram Gutgeld, economic adviser to the Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi via the messaging service Twitter.

The fact that Greece now come around, so evokes positive reactions. Praise also comes from France , a country that does not need financial aid, but is under pressure to save money – and in Greece billion in the fire has. President Hollande said on Saturday for Greece was a “good compromise” was found. The left-liberal Spanish newspaper “El País” writes of a “wonderful news” and called the agreement “an accolade for the validity of the euro as a political project”.

undisputed the deal is of course not. “Additional money is nothing but a pain reliever for the Greek disease and does not contribute to healing,” said Ifo President Hans-Werner Sinn. “Greece was the euro too expensive and must now be cheaper to regain its competitiveness. This is only possible through the exit from the euro.”

Such exit comes into question, however, neither Greece nor for the other euro partners too great is the fear of the consequences. And so the Greek government is under pressure: Until Monday Athens has a list of concrete reforms submit, on Tuesday, the finance ministers of the euro group discussed these issues in a conference call – and the government in Lisbon has already announced , this list very carefully to see.

Greece had previously talked about wanting to change only about 30 percent of the existing austerity measures, and room for further conflict has Greece not. On February 28, the current utility is running out, and should not be extended to Greece threatens in the end of the bankruptcy and thus an exit from the euro area.

Janis Varoufakis had to recognize the hard way that he has to bluff is called. Not by chance noticed the diplomats of the euro partners carefully – and probably with satisfaction – that the Greek finance minister behaved very quiet on Friday. Was he appeared at the first session too late and with camera crew in tow, bringing Euro Group CEO Jeroen Dijsselbloem for Rage, he is said to have barely spoken on Friday.

Also, the solution he himself had contributed little more. The agreement Dijsselbloem had negotiated directly over the phone with Athens government leader Alexis Tsipras, instead of speaking with Varoufakis. The tried now, diplomatic occur. “It is now crucial that we discuss in the Euro Group, as we allow Greece and Portugal to grow again and repay the debt,” Varoufakis said. “And to do that, I have an excellent working relationship with my colleagues entertained.”

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