Rift between Germany and Greece widens

[Jimbuna]

I'm at a bit of a loss here...why did the Greeks accept the money then?

They certainly can't argue they weren't aware of the conditions attached, so I'd have thought if the Greek people were angry with anyone it should be their own politicians.

The rift between the two countries has grown steadily; there is increasing resentment among Germans that they are largely footing the bill for the ever-growing Greek bailouts. German media have written about Greeks as lazy and unproductive.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17177200

[nikimcbee]

Vendor, what have you done with Jim?

[Herr-Berbunch]

€130bn for Greece, ~€12.000 for each Greek - If I were the Greek government I'd just hand it out and tell them to emigrate.

Last one out turn off the lights.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

Vendor, what have you done with Jim?

Maybe Jim just noticed obvious possibility to increase his post count.

...or alternatively Vendor is sitting behind Jim with 9mm aspirin dispenser.

[Skybird]

How to build a submarine from a ship? Sitting on a deck below the waterline, drilling holes into the hull.

That's the German cleverness these days.

We indeed believe the holes in the hull is the new vogue, looking so convincingly and nice that sooner or later the other nations in the world will love it so much that they follow our example and start drilling holes into their own ships as well.

[Schroeder]

Drilling? I would say we're using Blockbuster bombs right now.

[Jimbuna]

I believe the Greeks are being a tad ungrateful and disrespectful.....hand the money back and pull out of the Euro by all means but don't bite the hand that's feeding you.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I believe the Greeks are being a tad ungrateful and disrespectful.....hand the money back and pull out of the Euro by all means but don't bite the hand that's feeding you.

Why not? I mean they are dealing with Germans, not with just somebody else. With Germans you can do like that. Since WWII, those Germans will even give you some salt and pepper and wish you Bon Appetit.

Our finance minister has just recently excused to the Greeks when their president and their former foreign minister complained about the German payments being given in a too unrespectful, Greece-offending manner!!

Heck, the self-disolving of Germany in what is called over here an "integration process" is even anchored in the German constitution! It is probably the only constitution in the world calling for the self-dissolving of the nation that the constitution holds.

[Oberon]

I'd wager Greece being the DPRK of Europe before the decade is out.

[HunterICX]

Perhaps some of you should read this before scapegoating Greece

http://www.microsofttranslator.com/b...den-met-elkaar

hope the translation is not too messed up.

HunterICX

[MH]

Still question is if all this justify Greek lifestyle and if other countries should pay for corruption and stupidity of Greek government.
They had run this republican taxation economy in social democratic country.
So they have big public sector some rich shipping companies and tourism.....is that enough?
I also cant understand how EU let them drawn so deep in debts.

[soopaman2]

My cousin said something to me one day when discussing Greece a few months ago.

Pardon the "godwins law"

He said something along the lines they are attempting to do to Europe using bankers, what Hitler did to them using Panzers.

I am inclined to agree. Not saying Greece and it's culture of early retirement and tax evasion are infallible. Just that Germany throughout the whole Euro currency and PIIGS troubles has been hardline and merciless.


Welcome to American style capitalism Europe, where the winners dictate policy, and the people are just "rubes" to be taken advantage of.

[Dan D]

Hier is ze plan: German tax collectors volunteer for duty in Greece

"More than 160 German tax collectors have volunteered for possible assignments in Greece to help the struggling Mediterranean country gather tax more efficiently, the Finance Ministry in Berlin said on Saturday.

The German government says it wants to help Greece develop a modern tax administration and has started recruiting volunteers for Greek duty. More than 160 German tax officials with English language skills have signed up and about a dozen also speak Greek, a spokesman for the finance ministry said.

"Greece's problems today are even worse than the problems faced with former East Germany in 1990," said Norbert Walter-Borjans, NRW finance minister, referring to the period after German unity when west German tax officials went to the ex-Communist east of the country to help improve tax collection.

"There was resistance then among some eastern Germans against western (tax collectors) but that's nothing compared to the reservations Greeks will have against Germans," he added."

Knock, Knock.

Who is there?

Zee German tax collectors.

The German tax collectors who?

Just kidding, Vee do not knock.

[nikimcbee]

Maybe they could try the Lebensraum thingy again? Third time the charm?

Great summer holiday homes?

[Jimbuna]

@Dan D

That is quite interesting...perhaps they have room for some from HMRC because us Brits are paying far too much in taxes (at least the humble working class are)