Greek Finance Minister Yiannis Stourrnaras picked up German tabloid BILD to recount the dull lifestyle he had to live after he was appointed to the most crucial ministerial post of the debt-ridden country. Bild reporter visited Stournaras in his office in Athens and started right away with a personal question:
“He is one of the most hated people in Greece: Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras. BILD met him in his office and asked: Do you fear for your life?
Yannis Stournaras: “He, who becomes finance minister in Greece, knows what to expect. My personal security has been increased. I dare no longer step alone outside. Sports or going out with friends is no longer possible. ”
BILD: Thousands of Greeks impoverish, but you continue to increase the charges. Do the poor need to bleed?
Stournaras: “We strive to tax also the rich and there is also success. This program is very hard. But there is no alternative. “
Stournaras told also BILD that even if infrastructure in Greece cannot be compared to the one in Germany, there has been success like bringing into jail rich tax evaders.
Among others, Stournaras told BILD that there would be no new sovereign debt restructuring this year.
Attempting to put the record straight, Stournaras said previous comments suggesting he expected another haircut this year had been misinterpreted: “I was misunderstood. Once again, there will be no bad news from Greece this year.”
Concerning Cyprus, Stournaras warned about even considering a default. “A Cypriot default should not even be talked about, the domino effect on Greece and the entire Eurozone would be incalculable,” he cautioned. “I am confident Cyprus can be saved.”
PS of course, we have compassion with Yiannis Stournaras. We propose, he buys a tread mill or one of those multi-task instruments for sports at home. As for not going out with friends… we share the same fate. However, our motives are different. We suffer from immense shortage of €€€ 🙂
So, he thinks he has joined the people in not being able to enjoy life any longer? Somehow, I think this man has absolutely no idea what some people have, or rather don’t have, to live on.
One of my neighbours, single mother with 2 children, has, after bills, 8 Euro a week for herself and her children to survive on. Maybe the minister should try coming down to that level before he starts feeling sorry for himself?
Or even better, maybe Bilt should interview these people instead, and talk about the reality of modern day life in Greece and elsewhere instead of giving the elite a platform to moan about “not being able to go out with friends”
Do not exaggerate. Going out with friends and sitting on a bench is free. You do not have to eat or drink coffee when you go out. I understand Greece is going through a tough time, but don’t exaggerate issues and write things that are simply not true just so you feel sorry for yourself.
going out with friends translates in Greek into ‘go eat & drink’. I personally certainly do my sports without spending a dime and meet my friends spending much less than I used to. But think of all the other people who do not have even electricity to cook food, heat water or just turn the lights on at night.
I am not saying I feel sorry for the finance minister, but his job is no easy one. And i’d bet 80% of the readers on this website would be too scared to face the music and become Finance Minister of Greece, which must be one of the most impossible jobs in the world. The readers of this website are better at complaining instead of acting and fighting to make their country a better place, to the benefit of all Greeks.
Amen LOL
you have no idea what the readers of this site do in addition to complain. Not the slightest idea indeed.