Some KTG-readers may can still recall the secret collateral agreement between Greece and Finland in exchange for the Nordic nation to provide funds for the second bailout for the debt-ridden country. That was back in February 2012. The deal was signed by the finance ministers of Greece, Evangelos Venizelos, and …
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The Odyseey of a List with 1,991 Tax Dodgers: From Lagarde to Greece with Love
I would like to kindly ask KTG-readers to search among all the items laying on their office desk – drawers included. Greek government is seeking at least one USB stick containing the names of almost 2,000 Greeks with large deposits in HSBC, Geneva, Switzerland. The case is taking a tragicomic …
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FinMin Venizelos: Greece’s at Razor’s Edge
Greece is at razor’s edge, pressure is high, money is rare, additional austerity measures are likely, nerves lay blank and ministers argue with current or former colleagues and all together get the criticism from the opposition parties. Earlier Thursday a ‘rocket’ was fired by a former deputy Finance Minister who claimed …
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Upd2: Greece’s Taxation Nightmare – Venizelos Part II
After the uproar triggered by the announcement of receipts collection, Finance Minister E. Venizelos issued a clarifying statement… triggering an even bigger uproar! For two simple reasons, hmmm… in fact three: 1) the state will electronically survey even citizens’ savings 2) the plan hasn’t been thoroughly worked out 3) more clarifications are needed. …
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Speechless Schock! Tax Robbery with Documented Receipts!
I’m sorry (?) to say that but I have reasons to believe Greece is not anymore a ‘state of law’ but a “state of pure absurdity’! The Machivallism unprescendeted, the amateurism exemplary! Those listening to Finance Minister E. Venizelos yesterday, those who managed to understand what he was saying about the …
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New Greek Patriotic Doctrine: “Pay or Argentina!”
That the majority of Greeks and their elected politicians live in parallel universes is not a secret. The deeper the crisis, the wider the gap. Then while the citizens struggle to cope with a tsunami of taxes, levies and high prices, the politicians think that the crisis in not here …
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Greek FinMin: We Are Lucky To Be Under International Control
This unbelievable sentence was worded by Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos on Wednesday morning while he was informing the parliament about his talks with the Troika on Tuesday night and stressing the need of new austerity measures. In a speech sprinkled with dramatic tones, Venizelos spoke of “absolute fiscal derailment” …
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No Deal in Venizelos-Troika Conference – Maybe Tomorrow?
The conference call between Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos and representatives form the IMF and the EU concluded after two and a half hours. It will resume tomorrow, Tuesday, at 7 pm. Greek media quote government spokesman describing the discussion as “productive and substantive”. It looks as if it was a hard …
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Greek PM Fevers Ahead Talks with Merkel-Sarkozy on Sept 14
Feverish meetings were held in the office of Greece’s prime ministers’ office on Tuesday ahead the teleconference of George Papandreou and German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday, Sept 14th 2011. The meeting with top economists of the country were made under the specter of an …
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Greek VAT Insanity: 6.5% for Foreigners, 23% for Greeks
That Greece is an absurd country I knew the moment I decided to return from living abroad over some decades. But it was beyond my vivid imagination that I will have to experience this, day by day – and even moment to moment. With a decision that touches the limits of European …
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IMF Calls Greek Finance Minister to Washington
Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos is hastily preparing his suitcases so he can rush to Washington on Sunday after an invitation of the International Monetary Fund. However Venizelos will also have meetings with Senators of Greek origin and most likely with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. According to Greek media, …
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Euro Zone Summit: Greece’s Non-Negotiable Requests
The Greek debt clock is ticking and the Greek officials feverly check the options ahead the Euro Zone Summit on upcoming Thursday, where the Euro Leaders will discuss the second bailout for Greece, estimated to be 100 billion euro. While EUro officials concentrate try to find out ways for the participation of …
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Is Greece Heading for Early Elections ?
Prime Minister George Papandreou is proud and optimist. And stuns about the obvious, i.e. the success of the tourism industry on Greek islands like Kos. “I am proud about Greece, Greece that gives a battle everywhere, like here in Kos, where with collective effort, with common effort we promote our culture …
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Greek Fin Min: “Selective Default” frightens for no reason
I don’t like at all what I read and hear, I don’t like at all what Greece Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said on Tuesday afternoon. I don’t like it because when a Finance Minister gets the absolute No-No word in his mouth is extremely worrying. He sounds as if he …
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Greece: Plumber Triggered the Crisis, Electrician to Ruin the Euro Zone
Man, oh man! What a twisted day today! I feel, I am living in a virtual reality suffering from an extreme borderline syndrome. Yesterday, Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos announced a series of predatory and unfair austerity measures that grab deep holes in citizens’ incomes and minimize the available money to living. Fin Min …
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Finally! Greek Deputies to Pay 5% Solidarity Tax
That was high time! That elected members of this debt-ridden country put also their hand deeper in their pockets as citizens do since one year. Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos announced during a press conference, that a 5% -special-contribution will be applied to lawmakers, elected municipality officials and other high ranking …
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Greece New Fin Min Venizelos: Restore Tax Injustice
Greece newly appointed Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos gave the marks of his economic policy Friday afternoon and said that “fist priority is the sustainability of public Debt”. Speaking at the ceremony of handing over the Defense ministry to his successor, former Fin Min George Papaconstantinou, Venizelos said “I leave the …
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Venizelos: New Fin Min to talk “politics” with Greece’s lenders
Evangelos Venizelos is the new “Czar” of the Greek debt-ridden economy. The 54-year-old Minister, until Friday morning Minister of Defence, takes charge of the Finance Ministry in one of the most critical periods for the country. He will head the government’s economic team with Deputy Ministers Philippos Sachinidis (deputy also …
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Crete: Greek Communist Party protests USS Kearsarge at Souda Bay
Members of the Greek Communist Party (KKE) marched through the streets of Chania, Crete, Friday evening protested the arrival of US assault ship USS Kearsarge at the Souda Bay. Holding torches and candles they demanded the closure of the US naval base at Souda and and Greece not to be …
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Crete: US military buildup in Souda Bay
A US military buildup is taking place at the Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete as Muammar Gaddafi keeps bombing his own people and there is no sign of a peaceful solution. US Navy amphibious assault ships USS Kearsarge and USS Ponce are expected to arrive at Souda …
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