Friday 27 February 2015

The Cheek of the Greek



Friday 27/02/15

According to today's Guradian Varoufakis was talking about the Nazis when he was in Berlin. It also states that the Germans (Schauble et al, not the average German citizen) are suspicious of the Greeks and think they are 'cheeky' and 'greedy'.
 "No reward for cheek" according to the Bildzeitung which ran the headline 'Nein'. Apparently they also expect the Greeks to be grateful. Now I do think there is a time and place for gratitude but saying this about the nation you have previously occupied and driven to starvation and worse is a bit rich in my opinion.
Tell 'grateful' to the queues of Athenians (both Greek and immigrant) for the soup kitchen near Omonia Square. Grateful for having to queue for a bowl of soup and a lump of bread and then obliged to eat it on the pavement. How impertinent. How greedy. The scene looks like a photo from the 1941 German occupation of Greece except this time it includes veiled women balancing babies on their hips while trying to spoon soup into their mouths.
So if the Greeks need to be grateful then shouldn't the Germans be a tad more sensitive with the language they use?

Jacqueline Paizis



Saturday 21 February 2015

Greece - A Compromise Too Far



February 21st

There are a lot of heavy hearts in Greece and elsewhere today. What does SYRIZA's compromise say about democracy? To me it says that the peoples' vote doesn't count. In case we were in any doubt the 'eurozone', this amorphous block, is more important than the Greek electorate. Why didn't SYRIZA refuse this compromise? It's not as if the Greek people didn't show their backing for their new government one hundred percent of the way.

I believe there are many people today who cannot quite swallow the idea that this new left radical party has caved in so quickly, putting the demands of the Euro rulers above those of the people who have just elected them. SYRIZA has accepted that the Troika (still the sane people whatever name you use) will continue to be their masters 'overseeing' what the new government does with its reforms. For reforms read cuts, more austerity etc.

What will Tsipras do? How can he face his electorate with this deal?

If I wasn't convinced before, I am convinced now that Greece should break with the Euro, call the Euro leaders bluff when they say they could contain a Greek exit. This is what the left in SYRIZA has been arguing. Wolfgang Schauble, the German finance minister wanted to make an example of Greece and now he has had his wish fulfilled.

Monday 16 February 2015


Dear February 16th

Allow the sun to shine for an hour and the birds in my garden to stretch out their vocal chords. Away with this grey slate start to a Monday. Bring in the herald of spring.