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How the world sees Greece
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Southern Europe's brain drain over the Alps to Germany
Italians, Spaniards and Greeks are forsaking their homelands and heading over the Alps to the more robust economies of Germany and Switzerland, as economies contract across the Mediterranean.
Troika concludes Greek bailout review, next aid tranche soon
 Greek Reporter | Troika concludes Greek bailout review, next aid tranche soon - source Reuters India "The Greek side explained it is fully committed and we hope that this will be the case by the next meeting," Schaeuble said. The recapitalisation of Greece's banks and shrinking the country's spendthrift public sector have been key issues on the agenda ... Greek PM says deposits are safe, banks shielded: paper Greek government, troika near deal Troika Says Greek Talks Done, Money Coming |
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AEK fans force Greek league game to be suspended
AEK fans force Greek league game to be suspended Ct Post ATHENS, Greece (AP) — AEK Athens fans stormed the field after visiting Panthrakikos opened the scoring in the 87th minute, forcing the referee to suspend the Greek league game Sunday. The referee is yet to decide whether to abandon the match, although ... |
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Nazi Debt To Greece $212 Billion
Nazi Debt To Greece $212 Billion Greek Reporter Goldguys The German debt from the “forced” loan Greece had to give to the occupation forces was 13.5 million gold liras, an amount that was then described as “free credit,” with the express commitment to be returned after the end of the war. It never was. |
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Multinationals pulling premium products out of the Greek market
 Kathimerini | Multinationals pulling premium products out of the Greek market Kathimerini Greece has been ranked a “B-rate” market by several major multinational groups active in the production of goods of broad consumption in order to handle the competition from parallel imports by wholesale companies. As a result Greece has dropped one ... |
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Junta Lovers Host Political Memorial
 Greek Reporter | Junta Lovers Host Political Memorial Greek Reporter junta Unrepentant defenders of Greece's brutal military dictatorship, the junta carried out by the Colonels, will gather on April 21, the 46th anniversary of the government's takeover, to commemorate what they believe was a great period in Greek history. |
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Leading German economist calls for dissolution of eurozone to save EU
Joachim Starbatty speaks out as breakaway Eurosceptic party Alternative für Deutschland holds founding conference
One of Germany's most eminent economists has called for the swift dissolution of the eurozone in its present form, arguing that the vision of a united Europe is in danger of imploding if debt-ridden countries are not shown the door.
Speaking before the founding conference on Sunday of a new breakaway political movement which wants to fiercely challenge Germany's support for eurozone bailouts, Joachim Starbatty, a professor of political economics who has filed repeated complaints with Germany's constitutional court arguing that eurozone bailouts are unconstitutional, said the EU would collapse if the eurozone battle was allowed to continue.
"Europe is tearing itself apart right now," said Starbatty. "A currency which is supposed to have united a continent is doing precisely the opposite. And it is weak and ailing largely due to the fact that individual members are no longer in the position to be able to sustain it. Therefore it would be better if these countries that are not competitive, like Greece, Ireland, Spain, Italy, etc, were to leave." An alternative, he argued, would be for Germany to leave.
Starbatty is a staunch supporter of Alternative für Deutschland (Alternatives for Germany), which held its inaugural party conference on Sunday. The movement is made up of intellectuals, from surgeons to economists – the number of professors has caused it to be dubbed the "professor party" — as well as small and medium business leaders and retired professionals. It already has 6,000 members and is set to liven up Germany's national election in six months' time.
With a name inspired by "alternativlos", meaning "there are no alternatives" – a word which the chancellor, Angela Merkel, has used in defence of many of her policies including eurozone bailouts – the party wants to prove her wrong, particularly in the case of the euro. Many would like to see the return of the deutschmark.
Analysts are sceptical that AfD will garner the 5% of votes necessary to gain seats in the Bundestag.
"Economically Germany is continuing to doing well, which impairs the chances of protest parties considerably," said Richard Hilmer from the opinion pollsters Infratest Dimap.
But AfD still poses a grave threat to Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), their Bavarian sister party, the CSU, and the pro-business Free Democrats, all of which are in a coalition which they hope will be re-elected on 22 September.
Even the loss of a few hundred seats could force Merkel to invite the centre-left Social Democrats to join her in a grand coalition, which would necessitate a watering down of her policies, or cost her power altogether.
"At the election any votes for the AfD could really hurt the CDU," admitted Wolfgang Bosbach of the CDU. His colleague Klaus-Peter Willsch added: "Such a party is dangerous for us."
Starbatty says the AfD's aim is to "shake awake the political elite" of both Germany and Europe. His profile is typical of that of other members – a long-standing member of the CDU who left in protest at how Germany has been forced into the role of Europe's disciplinarian in order to uphold its pro-European stance as it tries to save a currency which he argues was "flawed from birth".
"Many German politicians are sticking their heads into the sand," he said.
"They do not want to admit the reality that their dream project cannot continue to function in its current state because they believe so much in the dream and they fear being seen as anti-European.
"They fail to recognise we need to find a healthy way forward, which despite being painful will help propel Europe upwards."
The 72-year old, who describes himself as an economist of the Adam Smith school, recalled the then chancellor Konrad Adenauer's first visit to Greece in the 1950s. "Then, only seven policemen were needed. When Merkel visited in 2012, 7,000 police protected her. What does that tell you about the feelings of solidarity Europe is supposed to have forged?"
Starbatty resents the label "anti-European" that the party is often given, preferring instead "Eurosceptic". He also rejects the comparisons with Ukip, with which he says AfD has very little in common.
"We are pro-Europe – we want to save it, and the only way to do that is to either dissolve or consolidate the eurozone. It is not, nor will it in its current form, bringing the peace and unity that its creators promised," he insisted.
The party is screening all potential members to ensure no far-right elements enter its ranks, after criticisms that it would attract neo-Nazis.
"This comes from the German idea that if you're not with the majority you must have extremist leanings," said Starbatty. That is one of the reasons it is far from easy to found a new party in Germany.
Rejecting outright as it does the policies of Merkel, the party is far more inclined to align itself with the British prime minister, David Cameron.
"We're by far from being in agreement with everything Cameron says, but we respect his plan to hold a referendum," said Konrad Adam, a journalist and former publisher of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung who is one of the founding members of AfD.
"He has a British sense of realism, a cool and healthy approach, which we could do with more of in Germany," added Starbatty.
A recent poll suggested that 26% of Germans, fearful of the future of their economy and resentful that their savings had suffered, were prepared to vote for an anti-euro party. The figure rose to 40% for the 40 to 49-year-old age group.
But one problem the fledgling party might face is the advanced average age of its members which one observer estimated to be "only slightly under that of the Vatican conclave", But the party's would-be leadership insisted that many younger supporters are waiting in the wings to "see how the party develops before committing themselves".
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Greek Minerals Sector Potential in 2013 and Beyond: an Overview
Greek Minerals Sector Potential in 2013 and Beyond: an Overview Balkanalysis.com Balkanalysis.com editor's note: as Greece's economy remains moribund amidst the aftershocks of 'austerity measures,' the drive to privatize state assets and develop new industries is gripping the country. One such industry, mining, seems to have ... |
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Greece lightning
 Taste.com.au | Greece lightning Taste.com.au Greece lightning. Greece lightning. Photography by Rob Palmer. Big, low-fat greek feast: Decorate in a Greek theme — place pots of fresh rosemary on the table and make napkins from blue and white fabric. Comment; Print; Email; Larger; Smaller ... |
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Aleka Papariga steps down from helm of Greek Communist Party after 22 years
 Kathimerini | Aleka Papariga steps down from helm of Greek Communist Party after 22 years Kathimerini After 22 years at the helm of the Greek Communist Party (KKE), general secretary Aleka Papariga announced her resignation late on Saturday ahead of the final day of the party's 19th congress in Athens. The party's central committee replaced the 67-year ... Greek Communist Party Says Koutsoumpas Is New Secretary General New head for Greek communist party after 22 years |
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Greece eyes imminent troika deal to unlock bailout
 Channel News Asia | Greece eyes imminent troika deal to unlock bailout Channel News Asia ATHENS: Greece hopes to conclude negotiations with the so-called troika of international creditors by Monday in a bid to unlock the next rescue loan, the head of the country's socialist party said Saturday. "We have come up with a proposal we all agree ... €10b more for Greece Deal on further bailout aid to Greece expected by Tuesday: Minister Greece Closes In On Troika Deal |
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Greece eyes imminent troika deal to unlock bailout aid
Greece eyes imminent troika deal to unlock bailout aid AFP ATHENS — Greece hopes to conclude negotiations with the so-called troika of international creditors by Monday in a bid to unlock the next rescue loan, the head of the country's socialist party said Saturday. "We have come up with a proposal we all ... |
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Greek Communist Party Says Koutsoumpas Is New Secretary General
Greek Communist Party Says Koutsoumpas Is New Secretary General Bloomberg KKE has the smallest number of lawmakers of the seven parties in the Greek parliament with 12 deputies in the 300-seat legislature. To contact the reporter on this story: Paul Tugwell in Athens at ptugwell1@bloomberg.net. To contact the editor ... |
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Greek Tweeters Press Golden Dawn Boycott
Greek Tweeters Press Golden Dawn Boycott Greek Reporter fuhrer-thumb-medium Angry that a prominent Greek TV station hosted four members of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party on a show, critics have begun a Twitter campaign pushing a boycott of any media that gives time to the extremists, who have 18 seats in ... |
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Greek Cyprus central bank chief calls for its independence
 www.worldbulletin.net | Greek Cyprus central bank chief calls for its independence www.worldbulletin.net The ongoing saga drew a scathing response from European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi, who wrote to the Greek Cypriot president telling him any attempt to effectively sack the governor could land Cyprus in the European Court of Justice. |
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Capitalism is a nightmare for Greece
 Green Left Weekly | Capitalism is a nightmare for Greece Green Left Weekly When the crisis started in Greece, SYRIZA was a very small party, which had about 3.8% [of the vote] and we were laughed at by the media. At the beginning of the crisis, we said to ourselves, “we have to change as the Left. We have to speak the people ... |
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Protests in Greece against Canadian gold mine project
Protests in Greece against Canadian gold mine project Peninsula On-line About 2,000 people took part in the march in Athens and another 1,500 in Greece's second-largest city Thessaloniki. Carrying banners against the project run by Hellenic Gold, a subsidiary of Canadian firm Eldorado Gold, the demonstrators chanted: “We ... |
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Greece expects deal for further bailout aid
ATHENS - Greece is expected to strike a comprehensive deal on the conditions for the release of further bailout aid to Athens this spring by Tuesday, Greek Alternate Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said on Saturday afternoon, after a fresh meeting between government coalition partners. "The final details will have been sorted out by Monday evening," Staikouras told reporters upon his exit from Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' office following talks on the progress...
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