Die Welt: Greeks should not expect any gifts
12.03.2014
21:42
Troika can impose austerity to Greece, as it is not a partner but an auditor, the German newspaper writes - Greece’s mistakes over the last four years
"The mistakes of Greece" is the title of an article in Die Welt newspaper on the occasion of the great delay in the completion of the troika evaluation.
"For half a year now the Greek government has been playing the following game: it lets the troika come to the country, check its books and find that the agreed cuts and reforms are not fully implemented and so sends it back without having accomplished anything. It was time that Eurogroup and the European Commission put things in order, as they are doing now," the German newspaper said.
According to Die Welt, in almost four years of Greece’s rescue program from bankruptcy, its government has committed a few errors.
The first is to believe that the troika is a negotiating partner. "No. The Greek government closed a deal with the European partners. It received the means to save the faltering state machine from collapse. It was an unprecedented gesture of solidarity by the Eurozone countries. In return, Greece must do what is needed in order for the funders to get back their money at some point. Troika has a responsibility towards the countries members that took a risk. Therefore it has sufficient legitimacy to ask for austerity measures and cuts, which will make the Greek state operative again."
The second mistake of the Greeks is the belief that there can be a response to their request for a new aid without considerations. "The ruling parties are under pressure from all sides, they want concessions from the EU, as the extremists could be strengthened in the European elections. A large number of "clowns" and populists does not do any good to the European Parliament, however, the European partners found themselves faced with election battles. Thus, great gifts to Greece are not appropriate and should not be expected."
"For half a year now the Greek government has been playing the following game: it lets the troika come to the country, check its books and find that the agreed cuts and reforms are not fully implemented and so sends it back without having accomplished anything. It was time that Eurogroup and the European Commission put things in order, as they are doing now," the German newspaper said.
According to Die Welt, in almost four years of Greece’s rescue program from bankruptcy, its government has committed a few errors.
The first is to believe that the troika is a negotiating partner. "No. The Greek government closed a deal with the European partners. It received the means to save the faltering state machine from collapse. It was an unprecedented gesture of solidarity by the Eurozone countries. In return, Greece must do what is needed in order for the funders to get back their money at some point. Troika has a responsibility towards the countries members that took a risk. Therefore it has sufficient legitimacy to ask for austerity measures and cuts, which will make the Greek state operative again."
The second mistake of the Greeks is the belief that there can be a response to their request for a new aid without considerations. "The ruling parties are under pressure from all sides, they want concessions from the EU, as the extremists could be strengthened in the European elections. A large number of "clowns" and populists does not do any good to the European Parliament, however, the European partners found themselves faced with election battles. Thus, great gifts to Greece are not appropriate and should not be expected."
The third error the Greek government ignores is that "it has achieved a lot, it has strengthened taxation justice and reduced costs, while it has started with the privatizations. Chances for abusing the social systems have dropped. Public administration is approaching the European standards but at the lowest possible level. The road leading to this point was long and laborious. Greece has yet an equally big part ahead of her."
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