An apparently “angry” Sarkozy and an allegedly “shocked” Merkel are to welcome Greek PM George Papandreou in Cannes, a “Greek side-dish” on the G20 Summit menu. Sarkozy and Merkel claim that they were stunned and taken by surprise by Papandreou’s referendum on the loan-agreement and they expressed their objection to the issue. They are so mad, that they even “threaten” to release they sixth aid tranche after the referendum. At the same time, they will press Greek PM to hold the referendum as soon as possible, i.e. on the first days of December, December 7th the latest.
In less than one month EU and Greece would have to work out all details of the bailout/loan-agreement, otherwise there would be no basis on the referendum vote. In less than a month, the Greek public would have to be informed on crucial issues that will hold them ‘imprisoned’ for two-three decades. And so on and so on.
It looks that Merkel and Sarkozy are so angry on Papandreou that they want to punish him with a race against time. But I don’t want to write further on this, as the Cannes meeting is still open.
What wonders me is Why Sarkozy and Merkel pretend to knew nothing about the referendum on the debt crisis.
Last summer, right after the July 21st Agreement, PM Papandreou had spoke about a referendum. I even remember to have reported about it, I’m just too busy to search for the link right now.
Early October, Greek Justice Minister Haris Kastanidis had officially announced that the government was considering a referendum on the debt crisis. A heated debate in the Greek Parliament followed.
Kastanidis referendum news made it through the international press in British and I suppose in French and German media. Furthermore, both French and German diplomatic representations in Athens have well equipped Greek press review and translation services.
So how comes, they pretend they didn’t know?
Nice Referendum-Video in SKY News from October 6, 2011
Is there any game playing behind our backs? Any ideas?
I do not believe Papandreou informed anybody about his plan to commit suicide over the back of you and me. Not in his government nor outside. Anything else is not important and just playing into his games. Mister Papandreou is showing more and more that for him there is nothing more important than… George P. Greece is his game. His birthright. His right to play with.
His pathetic speech at Kastelorizo should have been a clear warning to all of us. It was the beginning of our downfall. Nothing to do with ‘foreign forces’. Only internal, or better, personal interests…
I think they thought he wasn’t serious on the issue….
I think, that’s giving him to much credit. My feeling is that he was for the umphteenth time steamroled in Brussels. And was brooding for revenge when he should have made clear at that meeting that he was to call a referendum on the issue. He didn’t for personal reasons. Nothing more, nothing less.
It is just spin out of Athens and around Papandreou since the morning after that is coming up with this excuse.
Why am I almost sure? I still can read and listen between the lines of people from where I originate. And their shock was real. Nothing fake about it. Sarkozy is now ‘robbed’ of his start of his re-election campaign (his loss, but it shows that he must have been surprised). China is now withdrawing from investing in the EFSE… They wouldn’t have if they were informed beforehand. Venizelos Finance ministery was drafting a letter to the European ‘partners’ into the early hours after that speech. And so on. Too many indications that Mr. Papandreou acted allone. May history be his judge. And let’s hope that will be all…
Hi KTG
I think you are onto something there, it could well be fake from those 2 amongst the disgusting barrage of ” How dare he give his people a choice ” from the mainly Northern politicians. Here’s the view from 2 writers who are usually spot on, scary times ahead unfortunately if they are right.
http://www.golemxiv.co.uk/2011/11/the-greek-referendum-speaking-truth-to-power/
http://yanisvaroufakis.eu/2011/11/02/time-to-resign-mr-papandreou/
I hope you find them informative, keep up the good work.
thank you for the links Steve. It’s just something that puzzled me… It was his mistake of not informing them at OCt 26th summit but he had given clear signs on the ref issue. Maybe he was even considering not to hold it because there were objections by his own deputies, but he got …angry from the national parades incidents that showed very very clear, that no politician can go unharmed on the streets. Pap is very impulsive, target-oriented and kind of mean & self-destructive lol
They don’t listen because he is just a Greek:
“Mossialos: EU leaders aware of referendum but not date”
http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/8/49934
“PM Papandreou had spoke about a referendum”
Here at “ΔΕΘ”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLMlX8WQ7yI
yes and had said it would be dangerous… on that given momment
I don’t believe for one minute that Papa did this off his own back without the troika/EU not knowing anything about it, certainly he’s trying to save his own political neck into the bargain, but Merkel, Sarky & Barroso not knowing, not a chance. Cannes, is just pure theatre, actors playing their starring roles. But I really can’t fathom their mentality on it though, the EUs one fear is referendums, well unless they’re 100% certain of the outcome, that being in the EUs favour, it’s why the 3 main UK parties wouldn’t allow a referendum as they couldn’t guarantee the result. My guess is they’ll offer Papa a deal, so he can go back to Greece and say ‘look what I’ve got by threatening a referendum’ and it will be cancelled until further notice. If the troika/EU let it go ahead, it’ll be for their own purposes, and it will be by their say so, the propaganda will be something to behold, they’ll frighten the Greek people so much a resounding yes vote will be the result, then they can say ‘we are democratic we allowed a referendum and the Greeks voted for the austerity’. There’s ALWAYS a method in their madness. It will be game, set & match to the EU whichever way you want to look at it. I hope more than anything I am proved wrong, that if it goes ahead it’s a resounding no, but I won’t hold my breath.
hm.. after the G20 summit, he let them ‘blackmail’ him on the referendum
He acted alone in my opinion. No way he could openly include an option to referendum during the summit – it would have meant his bargaining standpoint was not solid. Domestically – well the rebellion of some of his party and the opposition shows how difficult it would have been to find backing beforehand without setting up confrontation – ministers and parliamentaries would have made threats they would then have to keep, for example.
As for the pressure for a fast referendum – remember the EU will play whatever to their best advantage. Currently the expanded EFSF is a technical confusion , the details of which need to be hammered out . Many say it is unworkable and unacceptable to certain countries. Central European powers might try to force the accords by saying that it needs to be ready for Greece’s referendum, and Greece needs its referendum early to secure next tranche payment, otherwise it will default openly and goodbye Maastricht ‘no default’ , and so on …
It is time the Sarky & Merkel show was brought to a bleated end they are both no goods both thieving cowards .
NOt just Greece but the UK need to get out of the EU NOW it is of NO worth at all it has zero value to the UK we do not need it for trade either Exports or imports we never needed it before we were railroaded into it and we dont need it now .
As for Germany i reacon if they pay the UK something in the order of five hundred trillion pounds then they will just about have paid for the rebuild that should never have happened after the war