Two days ago, I posted a question: why the EU-partners did not support Samaras coalition government. Today Reuters comes to confirm my suspicion. That the EU-partners together with the International Monetary Fund literally pulled the carpet under Samaras’ feet by asking more austerity measures: “IMF and EU officials insisted on …
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Tsipras to Channel 4: “We want debt relief, German WWII reparations & return of Acropolis Marbles”
Good old Abba and the winner takes it all… In a lengthy interview with Britain’s Channel 4 leader of left-wing SYRIZA Alexis Tsipras said he wants it all: a debt relief, German World War II reparations and return of the enforced loan plus the Acropolis Marbles. “We are going to …
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EU works to keep Greece in the EZ, sends Moscovici to Athens and #GreeksAskJuncker
Amid the horror Grexit-scenarios being pushed around by the Greek coalition government, the European Commission says “it is working to keep Greece firmly in the eurozone” and thus just a couple of days after EC chief Jean-Claude Juncker blatantly intervened in the Greek politics. EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici …
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Poverty and long-term unemployment are two Greek facts…
Poverty in austerity-hit Greece is a fact. According to the recently published EU data on Labor, incomes have dramatically decreased since 2010, since the country sought the ‘rescue’ via the International Monetary Fund. “Most affected by the income decrease are the vulnerable society groups. Real income in low income groups …
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Eurostat: taxation trends in European Union – 2012 data
Theoretically I could write about the Eurostat’s latest report about the taxation trends in the European Union. But, practically, I will not do it. Because, the overall tax-to-GDP ratio refers to data from 2012. It really makes no sense to mention such a report considering the fact that taxes increase …
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EU approves cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops for our table
Last week, EU member states reached a compromise to allow the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) food crops. The compromise give the member states the rights to refuse GM corps on their territories, even if they have got clearance on health and safety grounds at EU level. Under the proposal, …
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Greeks buy cheap from e-shops abroad; legislation about VAT & custom fees
An increasing number of Greek consumers choose to buy online and thus from e-shops abroad, a market analysis conducted by online payment platform PayPal has found out. 36% Greeks buy electronic products -mainly tablets and gaming consoles, clothing, toys and cosmetics from USA, Germany and UK. According to PayPal data, …
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REUTERS: EU executive sees personal savings used to plug long-term financing gap
It looks as if taxpayers’ money is not enough for the European Union to fund investments. Therefore there are reportedly thoughts to use the savings of 500 million EU-citizens and pour them into investments. Reuters – Exclusive: EU executive sees personal savings used to plug long-term financing gap “The …
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Turkish PM Erdogan “there is no country named Cyprus”
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan denied that Cyprus is a country recognized by the international community and claimed there was “no country named Cyprus.” He slammed the EU for accepting Cyprus in the bloc and spoke of “political motivation.” Comments by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday …
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Here comes the “Euroflush”! EU Commission directive on standardized toilet flush!
The European Commission has real concern about the well-being of its citizens. Our Eurocrats stoop with sincere prudence over the problems of their subservient. They look down to the poorest citizen in the most remote EU village and try their best to help him out of a deadlock situation and …
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EU spends more in cows than in young jobless
The argument is not new. It was brought up by Peter Matjašic, president of the European Youth Forum last July, when European leaders were deciding on how to spend the money and what were the priorities of the next EU budget for 2014-2020. Peter Matjašic argued that the EU spent …
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EC president Barroso warns Germany against less austerity, pledges for egg-free Europe
The president of European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso cannot take it anymore. The row egg-bombardment in Italy and Belgium had forced him to waste taxpayers’ money for dry cleaning of two of his tailored-made dark blue suits. The caring president of our Europe freaked out. After thorough contemplation on how …
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Did BMW’s €690K donation to Merkel’s CDU influence EU’s emissions decision?
Is this how the European Union works? A generous donation by a special interest group can influence the decision-making process and make the EU directives questionable as for their motives? The answer could be most likely clear… According to German media allegations, a donation of 690,000 euro by the BMW …
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ΕU approves Aegean Airlines – Olympic Air merger
Τhe European Union gave its blessing Wednesday to the merger of Greece‘s Aegean Airlines and its rival Olympic Air, saying that there would be no harm to competition since Olympic Air would have no choice but to shut down without the deal. The EU‘s executive, the European Commission, had once …
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WSJ: IMF secret docs May 2010 “Greece’s rescue program was not sustainable”
Minutes of International Monetary Fund board meetings held in May 2010 and published by the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday have highlighted the concern of many country representatives that the Greek bailout was not sustainable. One of the key criticisms expressed during meetings held before Athens agreed its first bailout …
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Oxfam: “Greece is in a terrible state; Austerity will bring 25m more Europeans at risk of poverty by 2025”
Oxfam, the international charity organization founded in 1942 because of the famine in Greece, finds it hard to believe that 70 years later, this same country “is in a terrible state.” Sharply criticizing the IMF- austerity programs, Oxfam said: “These policies were a failure: a medicine that sought to cure the …
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Why should Greece remain in the euro zone? It’s the energy, stupid!
finally we know why the European and especially Germany do not want Greece outside the euro zone. Allegedly because through Greek soil the European Union can manage to free itself from the Russian dominance of main natural gas supplier Gazprom. The EU dream can be materialized through the Trans Adriatic …
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Schaeuble, Dijsselbloem, Samaras & the other kids prepare a 3rd bailout for Greece
It’s a fact: Greece will get as third bailout and Greeks will have to deal with a new loan agreement imposing additional austerity to their already cut down lives. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said that directly, EU Monetary Commissioner Olli Rehn said that indirectly, Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem said …
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Germany may delay €2.5 billion bailout tranche to Greece
Has Greece fulfilled all the conditions to receive the next bailout tranche of 2.5 billion euro? According to German deputy Finance Minister apparently not. In a letter to German Parliament (Bundestag) Steffen Kampeter claims, that the debt-ridden and slow-in-reforms country has completed 17 out of 22 required measures. While Athens …
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EU commissioner calls for the Troika to be abolished
Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding called on Tuesday for the “troika” of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to be dissolved, Reuters reported. “The time of the troika is over,” Reding said in a text of the main messages she gave at a citizens΄ …
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