Germany proposing that EU takes over control of Greek economy

1. 83

   CMHypnoposted 12 years ago

   With anti-German feeling already high on the streets of Greece, is there trouble ahead?  Should Greece cut free of the EU, return to the drachma, devalue and become more competitive?  Is this 'one size fits all' economic policy based on what works for Germany even possible for all the very different EU nations to emulate?
   
   
   http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world … 95907.html

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2. 58

   dadibobsposted 12 years ago

   My hub Great Britain and the Euro, touches on my own concerns with German and French control of the euro. What is particularly interesting is the discussion after the hub, between a German citizen and myself.

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3. 58

   dadibobsposted 12 years ago

   My hub Great Britain and the Euro, touches on my own concerns with German and French control of the euro. What is particularly interesting is the discussion after the hub, between a German citizen and myself.

   replyreport
4. 58

   dadibobsposted 12 years ago

   My hub Great Britain and the Euro, touches on my own concerns with German and French control of the euro. What is particularly interesting is the discussion after the hub, between a German citizen and myself.

   replyreport
   1. 88

      IzzyMposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      For a few hours after you forum post, you have the possibility of going back in and editing or deleting the post you made, or multiples LOL.
      
      Bottom right of post box you will see an edit option on your own posts. Hurry, its not there for long

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5. 58

   dadibobsposted 12 years ago

   4 times DOH!

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6. 0

   EmpressFelicityposted 12 years ago

   Ah, this would be another thing on the road to the "ever closer union" described in the Treaty of Rome back in 1957.
   
   Nothing like a crisis to provide an excuse for doing what you'd planned to do all along.

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   1. 60

      recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It is also a good time to remember that the whole thing was also dreamed up as a way to avoid more wars on the various issues - the other side of which could  be seen as a Franco/German economic invasion ?

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   2. 69

      Alastar Packerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Would say you got it Empress; WE OWN, YOU AUSTERE. Yes, those Greek isles are really very nice.

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7. 63

   CASE1WORKERposted 12 years ago

   Can you imagine it - all those towels on deck chairs?
   
   Seriously though, its a no brainer, unless of course it is duplicitous in that the Germans would really like the Greeks to go and this might be the final straw

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8. 88

   IzzyMposted 12 years ago

   I've been trying not to comment on European affairs because the whole thing is just a little over my head (and don't forget, I do not have television or radio to listen to the experts explain the issues in simple words that I can understand) but what I have gathered is that many eurozone countries went a bit mad spending EC money granted to them to improve their infrastructures.
   
   Greece was one of them.
   
   They spent billions on an underground system that is so expensive to maintain, it would be cheaper for them to send all their inhabitants individually where they want to go, by taxi.
   
   They allowed corruption to infiltrate every level of government, and failed to crack down on tax cheats. Every middle earner and above lived for years in big houses with gated gardens and swimming pools, managed, with a little bit of bribery, to persuade officials that they only earned something like €100 a year! (and so were not liable for tax)
   
   Spain seemed to have money from somewhere too that they couldn't afford, and used it to build yet more houses.
   
   It used to be fun to play 'count the cranes' as in any direction you looked you could see at least 20.
   
   No-one wanted all those buildings; they lie empty today.
   
   It says in that article that Spain's unemployment is 5 million, and that is no longer accurate, it is nearer 6 million. (I think Spain's population is around 46M).
   
   Youth unemployment rate is almost 50%! Can you imagine, almost 1 in 2  of the 16 - 25 year old age group is out of work, and there is no social security.
   
   Spain's new conservative government are planning austerity measures, but it looks like being too little, too late.
   
   Spain may well be looking at a return to the peseta in the near future, and that was something that was always on the books because shop receipts, bus tickets etc, still carry the price in pesetas as well as euros so it must have been an option always on their minds.
   
   Then we have Italy, Portugal and Goodness knows who else not pulling their weight and struggling, while the eurozone is getting larger as yet poorer countries are allowed in.
   
   Looks like a good idea ruined by greedy politicians again.

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9. 60

   Evan G Rogersposted 12 years ago

   The EU is bound to fail. The only reason it was created was because there were enough corrupt politicians to go along with it.
   
   "Hey, let's give all these other countries control over our money supply!"

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10. 61

    CHRIS57posted 12 years ago

    Isn´t interest payments for Greek debt already postponed? And, if there is no immediate drain of the budget by historic debt accumulation, how is it possible that the budget is still under water?
    Apparently the Greek budget is way off from being balanced. That is the problem. Where are the results of the reforms?
    I did not vote for the guy in the wheel chair (Wolfgang Schäuble), but i am supporting his view: "You can have it any figure," he said. "The firewall will not work unless you solve the real problems."
    Real problems remain unsolved. The EU and Germany in particular could  pick up the tab, but it will remain open until either Greece leaves the Eurozone or Greece gets its economy fixed.

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