Back in the good old days — just a few weeks ago — every time the Greek Prime Minister went to Brussels or to a European Union meeting, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker would hug him, kiss him, even hold hands with him. Yet, the last time Juncker welcomed Alexis Tsipras in Brussels there were no hugs and kisses, no sweet smiles and winks. This time it was only an awkward handshake and a frozen smile. It was evident that it was payback time for the European Union’s prodigal son. Europe had to punish the Greek prime minister for his defiance, for all his accusations and harsh remarks when he was the main opposition party leader in Greece and now that he is the premier. Due to his inexperience and enthusiasm, Tsipras said a lot of bad things about several European officials. Some of his comments were downright insulting, slanderous even, in some cases. Unfortunately, Europe chose to punish all Greeks along the way. The measures they proposed are so severe that they are guaranteed to push Greece deeper into recession quagmire. There is no way Greek pensioners would survive with further cuts or that the Greek economy can recover with a 23 percent VAT on hotels and restaurants. One would think that the burdensome measures the Greek government proposed would be enough to secure a deal. They were worth 8 million euros in state revenues, despite the fact that 93 percent of that was heavy taxation across the board, but mostly to high incomes. In fact European partners called it a “good basis for an agreement,” then they rejected it a day later. Simply because at this stage in the game European officials care less about a few hundred million here and there in the Greek budget. What they want is to humiliate Tsipras, make him look like a crook who became prime minister by lying to the desperate Greek people. They want him to sign an austerity memorandum while all his election campaign was based on his promise that he will abolish memoranda. Then send him back home as a betrayer of his leftist ideals, a traitor to his voters. In no way would they let him go back to Athens with a good deal in his suitcase. Send him back as a winner, the first leftist state leader who dared to rebel against the European rules and processes. This is where Europe showed its ugly face, its lack of compassion, its lack of solidarity. If only for the Greek people who have suffered poverty, unemployment, suicides, or lower living standards, European top brass could be more lenient, more forgiving. Greece is running out of time on its painful way to default and bankruptcy. The European Union leaders have only a few days left to restore the forgotten European ideals of unity, solidarity and justice.
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