BBC: Who does Greece Owe?
Good reminder of Greek debt decomposition.
Reality Check
Nooz.gr: ΥΠΟΙΚ: Δεν χαϊδεύει αυτιά ο Γκίκας Χαρδούβελης
Ladolea: Ελαιόλαδο υψηλής ποιότητας
Evge, etsi prepei!
Τα «στέκια» των startups
Check HuffingtonPost.gr story.
Prosohi stous Diplomatikous Erasitehnismous
Oi diplomatikoi erasitehnismoi mas ehoun katastrepsei sto parelthon. Min penevomaste gia tin protovoulia tou Proedrou Papoulia. Eihe proigithei diplomatiki proetimasia? To ixere o Germanos Proedros oti tha iparxei anafora tou thematos? An ohi, tha aisthanetai oti he was ambushed (tora pou se piasame katse edo…) An einai etsi opos nomizo, anexartita apo tin orthotita tou aitimatos, poli lathos heirismos…
Thoughts
A few thoughts on the results of the Greek elections:
(i) I assume Mr. Samaras has realized by now that his support of elections was ill-advised. Papademos’ government should have stayed in power until Greece went back on track.
(ii) Mr. Tsipras essentially makes the same arguments that Mr. Samaras used to make. He pretends to not realize that there is no free lunch. Some Greeks will vote for whoever promises no pain, be the far left or the far right, but there is no gain without pain in this case.
(iii) Any solution should come from within the European community with the endorsement and support of the IMF. Greece should not take any unilateral steps. This is a European problem that will take the whole Europe down unless drastic steps are taken.
(iv) A return to the drachma would bring Greece decades back, but of course we are choosing between Scylla and Charybdis here.
(v) Once more, the Euro needs to be devalued to stimulate European exports.
Fiscal Discipline? Yes. Austerity? No.
You cannot get out of a depression through austerity. Need I say more?
To Dimosio Thelei na se Vlepei Aftoprosopos
Meta apo tosa hronia paramonis sto exoteriko, afto pou me xenizei idietera otan prepei na sinallago me to Elliniko dimosio einai i pliris adiaforia tou gia ton politi. Den endiaferetai pou meneis, den endiaferetai gia tin ilikia sou, den endiaferetai gia ti somatiki sou katastasi. Zita soreia hartion kai pistopoitikon ta opoia sinithos prepei na parousiaseis aftoprosopos. I ennoia tis apostolis egrafon me tahidromeio i’ fax, tis pliromis me pistotiki karta apo to tilefono i’ me prosopiko check, i’ tis simplirosis entipon online i’ den iparhei i’ einai ellipis. Prosopika eho varethei na hreaizetai sineheia i’ na parakalao siggeneis i’ na plirono dikigorous gia na kano to douleia mou. Kai na oi exousiodotiseis kai ta plirexousia… Thelei to dimosio na einai sigouro oti tha talaiporitheis?
Loss of Sovereignty
According to the Financial Times, Merkel wants to make the new bail-out conditional on Greece giving up fiscal sovereignty to a “budget commissioner” with veto power who is to be appointed by the eurozone finance ministers. Without knowing the precise details, of course, it is too soon to evaluate this possible proposal, however, one is left wondering, first, if this is really necessary and, second, if it is constitutional. Besides, the issue at hand is that the Greek government cannot implement reforms fast enough because of resistance by special interest groups and unions. How is a budget commissioner going to help with reforms outside the public sector?
myEllada 