A clear and cynical confession by the German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass: The strict austerity imposed in Greece, for example, during the economic crisis and the Troika were “torture tools.”
In an interview with magazine der spiegel, Maas spoke about tackling the crisis created by the pandemic and said that “we need quick help without ‘torture tools’, such as the troika or tough austerity measures.”
FM @HeikoMaas in his interview with @derspiegel: "In this crisis, we need rapid help without ‘torture tools’ such as a troika or tough austerity measures. We have proposed a package adding up to over 500 billion euros – more than has ever been activated." @HeikoMaas [1/2] pic.twitter.com/bH4qnYeAB2
— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) April 11, 2020
He added that “the lockdowns and contact restrictions demonstrate that liberal democracies can impose drastic measures, but in a proportionate and balanced manner. There is no need for an authoritarian system to be effective in fighting this pandemic.”
Heiko Maas had certainly something else in his mind when he openly confessed that that the strict austerity imposed by the Troika was “torture tools.” In German “Folterzeuge” as he said sounds even worse.
The tweet posted by the German Foreign Ministry drew attention of dozens of users from Greece, Italy and other EU countries, including German who lashed out at Maas and the German policy during the economic crisis.
In another example of German arrogance, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told German newspaper BILD that “elderly should stay in isolation until the end of the year.”
Obviously, von der Leyen does not know that European have to work until 67 in order to get retired. And that due to pension cuts as “torture tool” many have to work still above this age.
PS Based on Maas’ confession, ten million Greeks could take Germany to the European Copurt of Human Rights for having been tortured for a whole decade.
If you want to know what Maas has in mind you should read his article (together with Minister of Economic Affairs Scholz) that has been published in Ta Nea.
The term “Folterwerkzeuge” used in the interview is a metaphor that means something extremely unpleasant and refers to the measures that were used by the Troika when dealing with Greece in the financial crisis. In the article mentioned above it says that such measures are to be avoided. So Maas does not confess anything like torture
If you read the Spiegel interview mentioned closely you will see that Maas actually supports Corona Bonds but there is no chance of getting through with them because of the lack of support of the coalition partner the CDU (Merkel’s party) in the government. However you have to read between the lines.
And the retirement age in Germany for a rising number of people is 67 which von der Leyen of course
knows.
Finally I’d like to make clear that I am not a supporter of the austerity policy of the Merkel government and the way Greece has been treated in the past. I have seen Greece change over the years. My first visit was in 1973 and since that time I have visited your country almost every year and have made friends with Greeks so I know a little about what have been going wrong.
We know very well what “Folterwerkzeuge” means. Whatever Maas, Scholze and the other kids of the German block think about the Coronabond is irrelevant to the confession about the austerity which the majority of the Greeks felt very rough on their skin.