Greece took over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union last week, claiming it will run the six month presidency on a “shoestring budget” of €50 million, one of the lowest presidency budgets in history. This will apparently be a hard-working, value-for-money presidency, highlighting how the country wants to be seen by others in the EU. The launch party was certainly a “no nonsense” affair, with Greek authorities imposing a strict 18-hour ban on street protests in Athens, enforced by riot police surrounding the national parliament. No conga-lines through central Athens, then.
This is now the fifth time that Greece has held the Presidency since the country became an EU member state in 1981. Following the examples of Ireland and Lithuania (click here to see the achievements of the Lithuanian Presidency), one of the priorities of the Presidency will be to enhance “social cohesion” and political stability in the EU by creating more jobs and stronger economic growth. In addition, the Greek Presidency wants to push for further integration of the Eurozone in order to ensure greater financial stability, transparency and accountability. Thirdly, they want to promote the positive (economic) aspects of legal migration and mobility, while combating illegal migration and human trafficking.
It’s going to be a tough job on a small budget. Citizens’ confidence in EU institutions has never been as low as it is today. However, following a six year recession that wiped out over 25 percent of Greece’s economic output, the country hopes to return to economic growth in 2014 and expects to be in a stronger position when it hands over the Presidency to Italy on 1 July 2014.
Greece will also hold the Council Presidency during the crucial May 2014 European Parliament elections, which could see a voter backlash against the policies of austerity. Eurosceptic parties (along with Far Left and Far Right parties such as the Greek neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party) are expected to do well on the back of public anger (and remember: if you want to show your support for a particular political ideology in the European Parliament (pro-EU, eurosceptic or otherwise) then you can take part in the Debating Europe Vote 2014!).
Do you think Greece can achieve its goals over the coming six months and regain public trust in the EU? What impact do you think the Greek Presidency will have on current austerity policies? Will there be more austerity EU-wide? Will euroscepticism grow stronger over the next six months? And what can the EU learn from Greece? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below, and we’ll take them to policy-makers and experts for their reactions.
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Do you think EU can achieve its goals and regain public trust in Greece?
Can learn not to be selfish and backup all state members, not letting people suffer and not be austere-blind
That the EU is no longer a Union as it destroys one of its members to the very bone.
I believe that the biggest mistake that EU made concerning Greece was that it accepted a country with false financial data on GDP growth but also the fact that the Delors packages that were supposed to help the country reach the level of the other countries were not being supervised and controlled where they had been spend. That’s why Greece ended up not being profited by them and instead most of the money ended up in the pockets of corrupted politicians and public administrators
The biggest mistake is believing that everyone can get to the wealth level of Germany. When you apply ‘solidarity’ across the board, it would mean a 20-30% wealth reduction for Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Austria ea. Wealth cannot be aggregated at the highest level.
And there are actually people who are amazed we keep opposing fiscal transfers.
@ Marcel
Agreed, those from Southern Europe who clamour for wages and benefits at Northern European levels obviously expect the cost of living in their country to remain as it is. They fail to grasp the fact that prices will go up with wages so the net result is they will be no better off
The Commission adviced the governments but they would not listen as they were afraid of Communism to which Greece would have turned to otherwise, but the Commission did not know the level of deceit. Also France, Italy,Germany itself did not accept measures against them when they did not keep to the rules of the STP, and the euro was introduced too quickly-only 1 country was ready-Luxembourg. Greece needs to work hard like northerners
The Commission was against Greece joining as it delivered a negative opinion as Greece was not ready. The governments were afraid of communism which would have spread to the south if Greece had nit been allowed to join. The deceit was revealed much later and govts did not stick to the STP rules and gave a bad example. It was only when it was too late that harsh action has to be taken, but I wonder how things are in Greece as still same lazy habits-siesta, no long working hours and corrupt govts.
Then why does it keeps supporting the same corrupt politicians?Starting from Venizelos and where to end…..
i dont beleef in one europe brussel costs to mots .
Full of people who say that they do not believe in brussels but still stay in EU, get out
According to plan, severe austerity has been applied in Greece since 2010. This plan is wrong and unable to promote growth,
No pain, no gain. Greece and Europe as a whole will come stronger out of the crisis.
the only strength gained by driving people in to degrading poverty is that of the very few rich becoming richer in the expence of the growing numbers of the poor
the exact contrary will happen, as a matter of fact it is allready happening.
nothing
The greater austerity, greater the recession
That’s just not true. The UK imposed a set of austerity measures and is now starting to grow at a decent rate with prices under control and unemployment falling. France did the opposite and look what has happened there. A mess. Only a fool would think you can spend your way our of poverty.
Debby Teusink, it is no in the plan of the EU to get out of the crisis ;) for greece there is no return, as the EU has completely restructured (= destroyed) its economy. same with other “money receivers”.
This year will be quite a test for the euro currency.
EU = US FED .. Same bankers same tactics debt enslavement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqsibRGtZ1A
It is now clear that the EU made some serious mistakes dealing with the situation in Greece, focusing on austerity only and not on austerity and growth. On the other hand we should not forget that the real cause of the Greek crisis was the mismanagement of the economy and faking the accounts, all responsibilities of the Greek politicians.
Please explain how economies can grow forever? It would be tantamount to people being able to live forever. Both are impossible. The system itself is unsustainable.
no
Make only bulgarians suffer, we will take all negative things of the EU. And will say – thank you!
How can the EU learn from Greece? I thought we are your distant ugly, hairy cousins that you invite for xmas once every 10 years and then make fun of them for the next 9 years. The EU has a shuttered image in Greece and I am guessing not a pretty one in Italy, Spain and Portogual. People see it as a tool for German imperialism and expansion. EU countries should starve their nations more…if you have debt is bad..if you have debt to Germans then letting a few hundred thousand people starve to death is better than owing them money..The Greek goverment should be harsher…last time I went to Athens there were only few thousand people looking at garbage bins for food…this is unexpetable…its their fault for letting themselfs be manipulated from corrupt politicians who took money from Siemens and HDW and Deutche Telecom and so on…..so let them starve now and pay their debts.
o povo grego ‘guerreiro’ e no vo deixar que outro pas ou unio lhe tirem a soberania!
no, but it will if greece exit eurozone. Eurozone is dead
THIS IS what Europe should learn from Greece:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/economic-historian-germany-was-biggest-debt-transgressor-of-20th-century-a-769703.html
+1
One for all and all for one.
A Grécia tera que mostrar o seu valor de madantária dentro do espaço da Europa e travar esse excesso de austeridade que existe dentro de alguns estados da UE
Greece is already teaching Europe what The Americans learned long ago:
There is not such a thing as a free meal.
I think that this particular maxim is what greeks have learned the hard way, not what they are teaching.
Did they really learn? Hope so
EU will be proud of us,we will make it because of the solidarity that show all the EU members to us.It is hard but not impossible!!
Why would you want the undemocratic Eurosoviet Union to be proud of you? You should default, get out of the Euro, never pay anything back, never borrow again and you would be better off!
I wonder, are Greeks masochists who voluntarily suffer so rich bankers can get richer?
@Νίκος Γιαννίρης
Starving Greeks + dying Greeks = pat on the head from EU?
The EU is the biggest joke played on man since records began. Greece is in 2Ned place!
Perhaps we can learn how to impoverish the poor and middle class whilst enriching rich (Franco-German) bankers?
‘Focus on growth’: do these people still don’t know that economies cannot grow forever and that the western financial system (perpetually expanding debt) is unsustainable?
Politicians keep harping on about ‘growth’ as if its the standard state of an economy and anything that deviates is abnormal. Nothing can grow forever.
at least for me the European Union has died after the way it acted during the crisis. This is not the Europe I was dreaming this is a Europe of corrupted Governments and corrupted Fund companies.
EU is us. All the member-states, all the people. It’s up to us to define our role. Everything is claimable.
So sorry, but how did Greece ever loose public trust?! Unless, of course, you mean Germany…
Euro policies results
Brothers Europeans,
you forget tehe Ancient Hellenic principles and this is a reason for the financial crisis. First the moral crisis, with pseudo-new states, pseudo- new nations.
Our Grandfathers create everything, born the Good and the hapiness for the people and humanity!
Your “famous” museums is with our momuments…you stole our culture! Your history and language is our history and language!
You are destroyed everything and you ask “What the Greece (our name is Hellas, not Greece) learn EC?
What the World learn tje Hellas spirit?
You ask what?
And we want to know why Greece has got into a mess? Its all here. And what about ‘sisters’ of the EU not just the men? We have to learn to live within means and not constantly hark back to history(Or views of it)
No!
In UE it is a problems of trust between rich country and poor country!
or hard-working, disciplined countries and spendthrift lazy workers? Merkel is not giving in over minimum wage in her own country so is having problems making a coalition
mocking at a member in difficulty as a postmodern way to help cohesion’s group
I really can not understand what is this “Greek economy” when the same state’s economy is tourism+farming?! What Greece is producing? A big part of the economy is in state hands. This is a socialism! Your economy is not a market-orientated. And when the bubble burst, everything else collapse.. how EU is guilty about that?!
Agree. Problem was and is Greece, it should not blame anyone else when they deceived everyone for years. Solidarity does not come into it even if we forked out money for Greece
No,I don’t think Greece can achieve its goals over the coming six months and regain public trust in the EU.
Greece got itself into this mess. Stop blaming everyone else
I think the question should be , (What has greece learned from Brussels?)
The troika ,whom work for the ecb, dismantaling economies ,pushing a country so far back by grabbing infrastructure, political meddeling, driving a country so far to the brink of destruction that theve even lost developing status. Calling doctors back from africa to help the people in greece. Financial ruin, poverty.
This is the dark side of the eu people, its not as rosy as they would have you believe.
Brussels is just not trustworthy, a banking union with whom at the wheel, the ecb/troika ,no thanks , our hard earned money in thier hands , no way ,never, ive seen what they are capable of…Time for that old sock under the floor..
Futhermore what weve all learned is Brussels is on the move like a bull in a china shop ,cost no option. The truth is we will all pay for the eurofiles.
A hard learned lesson taught by fanatics.
Watching the Inaugural Ceremony at Megaron Moussikis last Tusday, Jan 8, I was astonished by the gap between EU and Greek “leaders” on the one hand and REALITY on the other; Obviously, the director of the dancing performance (1st part of the artistic program) got reality in a very artistic way: the arch-dancer waving a white scarf whilst lights getting off at the end of the 1st part. Bye-bye “Europe” – the first victims of the all-out assault of the international usurers gang (ECB-IMF-EU Commission-4th Reich), the citizens of the Hellenic Republic aside by this move, waving the scarf to the West European Usurers Corporation: May 25, 2014 approaches and it is too late to reverse the feeling of anger against a gang that imposed measures that led to the erosion of domestic Constitutional order (basic human rights as the right to democratic desision-making/referendum; the right to private property et.al. are at stakes) and to extended poverty among the people (40%+ beneath poverty level, almost 30% unemployment, -25% GDP within 4 years, overtaxation that leads 80%+ to poverty and human-rights deprivation etc.)
The puppet government of Athens does not have any room of manoeuvering; the Foreign Affairs minister is involved in scandals (including that of Ferrostaal – submarines), many other ministers and officials are involved in the infamous Siemens AG bribery (therefore, they are manipulated by the 4th Reich) and the citizens DO NOT trust anybody, facing already poverty, high insecurity and gloomy perspectives within the West European Usurers Corporation (disguised as “European Union”). The cost will be tremendous when this social bomb explodes. No one of the leaders at Megaron seem to be aware of it.
PS Excellent reverse of your question:
Nikolaos Kretsos January 13th, 2014
Do you think EU can achieve its goals [welfare state, state of law, security] and regain public trust in Greece?
Well, in my opinion, I do not think Greece is on a good path to achieve its goals over the coming years. There is so much to do, not just regarding sound public finance. I think Greece has been guilty from the beginning, since its accession to Europe. No matter what the Greek leaders did, they did it wrong. They have been very unrespectful and acted without responsibility. They did not think about the contagion effects of their “exploits”!
On the other hand, why did the European leaders not take some measures earlier? They knew something bad would happen, there are some indicators that don’t lie!!
Everyone is involved in this crisis and I think “it’s a good thing” for us because knowing this, we can think about our faults and not reproduce them later!
Because the Euro was a political prestige project from the start, Eurocrat leaders were desperate to get as many countries in as they could. The idea that Greece should creatively ‘hide’ its debt came from… Brussels! The dirty little secret many are overlooking.
And please also consider the involvement of M. Draghi, former director at Goldman Sachs.
Government of the bankers, by the bankers, for the bankers.
No trust in Greece at all. Never had any, not only in money matters, but also airport/port security. Remember the Achille Lauro? Greece purposely chosen as security is lax-corrupt govt. Need to learn discipline. Not all southern countries are like this, not true but most-Malta a success story till the present govt. Now, we’ll see, a model so far, before last elections
Josephine Cassar and Patricia Leighton.. What is the matter sisters? Why this attitude? Listen here, I do not care if you are house bound housewives with very little knowledge about what is happening in this world and you believe all the crap that your media push into your brain as propaganda.. The fact is that you have absolutely no knowledge about the Greek economy, work ethos, situation, politics and nor do you have about the European..
While Greece has a lot of shortfalls, so have most other large eurozone countries like Spain, France and Italy or even Belgium and so on.. The reason why they are not getting into trouble is that if they do, Europe’s economy and in fact the world’s would be in deep s&%t!! While Greece that only represents 2% of Europe’s economy is small enough to be bailed out and pushed around by the bigger nations..As it happens..
The euro was set up the wrong way, its governance was in a mess, all countries were not ready to adopt it and all nations broke the rules while it is Greece that gets the blame..
European businesses and banks made huge profits from Greece’s overspending, that was required since we were in the euro, the same currency that a European giant was using, Germany yet it is the Greeks now who must pay the price, save the euro and the European economy..
There are a number of scandals of corruption between the Greek elites and the European business and political elites, that were to the detriment of the Greek people and Greece’s economy, yet it is the Greeks that are slandered as corrupt and not their European “partners”..
In the end of the day if you think that Greece has nothing to offer Europe, then why thousands of European desperate ladies like you flock to Greece in order to get some sun and some Greek lovin’? Perhaps that is all you need..
I am sorry to see the number of people who seem to think this debate is whether or not Greece can be trusted.
The debate should be whether the EU can be trusted,which it clearly cannot,to the commenter who suggested leaving the EU,I say don’t be so naive,the governments of Europe will fight to the bitter end to resist the will of the peoples of Europe.The unelected beurocrats exist only to further their own careers and line their pockets while unemployment soars.
As for the Brussels “elite ” taking action sooner,I ask why would they” .
The longer they can drag out this sorry fiasco the longer they will stay in their jobs,anyone who really thinks that the EU acts in the best interests of member states is either stupid or dillusional.
it depend … how many greek politicians can be hired by goldman sacks meanwhile ….
No , unfortunately: (
;)
In one way or another there is unanimity that something must change in Europe. “Debts that can’t be paid, won’t be paid” said Prof. Michael Hudson. Prof. Hans Werner Sinn recently suggested that among other things the first measure that is needed to reconstruct the euro is a debt conference. Is the way Out of the Crisis a Debt-End or is the vision of the United States of Europe a Dead-End? “The euro is the currency of a country that does not exist” said another Prof. Steve Keen and it has become the unit of account of differential misery. Sinn adds that “if we are serious about deepening European integration, we must recognize that there is no credible alternative to reforming the euro from the ground up.” A failure to reinvent the vision of the United States of Europe and reengineer the Treaties is not fatal. We can always revert back to our national currencies and the politics of national interest. A double dilemma must become priority number one in the coming elections. Should the Euro become the debt-free currency of the United States of Europe? If the answer on any of the two dilemmas is no, then the european beasts of Brussels and Frankfurt must be dismantled. If the answer on both dilemmas is yes, then there is a cause worth fighting for.
The whole of the European Union is in a deadly debt-driven deflationary spiral and is racing hopelessly for the rock bottom. What a gross misunderstanding of the root causes of this crisis represents your bold question on whether we think that Greece can achieve its goals over the coming six months and regain public trust in the EU! Absolutely irrelevant!
…that with the humane measures of unemployment, rising of prices, selling water and electricity loaded with taxes, confiscating home and work, closing down EVERY small and medium sized family business, closing schools and hospitals, cutting down pensions and leading pensioners to starvation and leaving them homeless…you can peacefully and in a” civilized”manner conquer a c9ountry and murder its population in no tim3e at all !
…that with the “humane” measures of unemployment, rising of prices, selling water and electricity loaded with taxes, confiscating home and work, closing down EVERY small and medium sized family business, closing schools and hospitals, cutting down pensions and leading pensioners to starvation and leaving them homeless…you can peacefully and in a” civilized”manner conquer a country and murder its population in no tim3e at all !…BUT…we Greeks have a saying and have proved it true in all our past my fellow European and compatriot valtures…”He who laughs last, laughs best”…and Greeks know how to resurect their Nation even if there are a handful left to fight…
Are it’s goals achievable?
…that with the humane measures of unemployment, rising of prices, selling water and electricity loaded with taxes, confiscating home and work, closing down EVERY small and medium sized family business, closing schools and hospitals, cutting down pensions and leading pensioners to starvation and leaving them homeless…you can peacefully and in a” civilized”manner conquer a country and murder its population in no tim3e at all !…BUT…we Greeks have a saying and have proved it true in all our past my fellow European and compatriot valtures…”He who laughs last, laughs best”…and Greeks know how to resurect their Nation even if there are a handful left to fight…
Perhaps.
Good question – I suppose, many people hope so … :)
WHY ARE YOU ASKING THESE QUESTIONS Debating Europe Debating Europe?? EVEN ONE SIMPLE ANSWER WAS NOT GIVEN BY YOUR SIDE ? FOR WHAT ARE YOU ASKING THEM?? TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE DOING STH FOR THEM?? PUTTING HASTAGS OR ASKING QUESTIONS NOT A SOLUTION WHEN THERE IS NO ACTION!!! I’AM FOLLOWING YOUR PAGE EVERYDAY I REALLY DIDNT SEE THAT YOU ARE DOING STH FOR PEOPLE EXCEPT POSTING ON FACEBOOK ITS JUST HOODWINK!!
Greece should leave the euro and take back control of its own economy. Staying inside the failed currency is just prolonging the pain . Lets face it Greece has been sacrificed in attempt to save the euro , Families driven to penury, the youth unemployed , their futures mortgaged , their hopes destroyed.
Its not as if the signs were not there , its not as if the EU were not told ..
What can the EU learn ? Well the EU dose not like the truth ,the nonsense that was the euro , the NO votes every time they ask a question are ignored so why do we think they will learn anything from Greece ? You will learn though that the people of Europe have had enough of your madness , the end of this failed project is just a matter of time . Sooner rather than later would be preferable
Let greece cet out of UE
Greece can not achieve anything if the European powers do not agree with that.. End of story.. We are no a sovereign nation anymore.. Our politicians are just puppets who do the work of the rich rulers of this continent.. It has always been like this.. Since we got liberated, Europe has never kept its nose out of our affairs..In fact we only got liberated when the European public opinion changed in our favor.. Europe dragged us in its wars, Europe decided we needed kings and queens to rule us so they put us under the Danish crown and branch of royal families.. Europe also got involved in the Greek civil war..Now Europe is also telling us what to do and shape up our economy..Good I would say, but when Europe will sort out its own economy? Was it only Greece that was deeply in debt? until when Greece will be the country that in every crisis in the continent it is always paying the biggest price? And please do not speak to me about the usual nonsense that your media are brainwashing you with.. If you actually have any brain left from watching all these reality shows think for yourselves. The Greek people are among the most hard working in Europe, and they are branded as lazy so that Frau Merkel and her little accolades can play their game and convince the brainwashed German voters that the Greeks are incompetent and desperately need Europe’s assistance to survive..What they are not telling them is that the money does not go to Greece, but to the German, French and British bond holders in the Greek banks..The Germans and the other European tax payers are not bailing out Greece, rather the rich bond holders of their countries.. Wake up Europe and cope on, will ya?
Fuck you Europa!
For European Cartel :
http://youtu.be/81qD7Yiroi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-n1lLzsx7A&sns=em
Simply accept that the European project has failed,allow all countries to leave ,adopt their own currencies and fire all the Brussels Eurocrats ,unceremoniously and without any redundancy payments,let them take their place in line with the rest of the unemployed.Get back to a trading environment with no animosity to each other and govern ourselves………simple !
Have you ever considered becoming a politician?………..you’d get my vote if you did ;-)
No way….and if the numbers be the right ones,two are the scenarios:again fake numbers or more people in greece will suffer and die.when all the matter with “greek” banks ended and be safe,then greece will succed in its target
I have actually thought about getting into politics,if only to try and bring some sanity to the unbelievable mess that we find ourselves in,I seriously doubt that anyone would listen to little old me ,but I increasingly feel that if enough of us write to our MPs ,our MEPs and in very blunt terms tell them that if they don’t shape up we will at every opportunity vote them out,it’s a long slow painful process but with enough sustained pressure I believe we can prevail,and if needs be take to the streets and make our voices heard
@Debby Teusink: It seems to me that some get the pain, and some others the gain!
I say sod the pain , lets start the gain !
REVOULOTION !!!
The economic crisis has taught us one thing: “More democracy, more power to the European Union, less bureaucracy. In response to the economic crisis and resurgent nationalisms should be more European Federation. THEREFORE I RECOMMEND “The Constitution of the European Union by Krystian… Krawczyk. If you find some free time, I recommend that my draft Constitution of the European Union as a federal state. http://federalna-europa.blogspot.com/2013/06/constitution-of-european-union.html.”
I vote against it.
Actually its the Greeks whom can learn from Brussels/Trioka.
What the greeks have learned is (run, run as fast as you can), get away from the europhiles and thier x-american banker bosses.
European countries are being annexed, one by one, constitutions are ignored, goverments are bought and paid for ,and federalism is the buzz word. But the problem is its not federalism thier after, its a soviet/chinees style democracy.
I feel sorry for former communist countries whom want to join this no-democracy, thier jumping from the fire into the frying pan.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Europhilia can be cured,
One shot of decency, followed by a dose of democracy, and then last but not least a small swig of respect.
But before all this can happen, self reckoning, and looking inward and seeing that what they are doing is , well to say the least not really fitting in the so called free western world.
To the greeks, save yourselves , run for the hills. get out while you still can.
The doomed ship europhilia sails soon , and its going to be every man for himself.
To be frank , the thought of the eu being run as it is now by the powerbrokers and fanatics is really not the europe that i or the majority want.
Sorry Miloslav,you could not be more wrong,firstly to say nobody is a burden is ridiculous ,there are a good number of countries in the EU who are nothing BUT a burden on the others who subsidise them through taxation.
Secondly,everyone does not and should not have equal rights,sorry but if you can’t bring any beer to the party then don’t come and expect to drink everyone else’s ,I’m sure you understand my point.
Finally just because you are a member of the “club” does not grant you equal rights,especially when others are paying you membership fees !
If you want equality you have to earn it.Simple
Miloslav,don’t understand the lollipop thing,and no I don’t think that colonization of Eastern Europe by financial means is a good thing at all,where did I say that ?
The EU has been one big mistake from the start,The peoples of Europe were NEVER consulted on this and were never meant to be bound together in one political union,we are all of us individuals with our own proud national identities,if you have read my other post you would know I am totally opposed to enlargement of the EU,it creates inequality and resentment,I would dismantle it tomorrow and return Europe to a trading block with our own laws,border controls,national identity,but sadly until that happens and make no mistake ,it will happen,we are stuck with this sorry mess and I won’t apologise for wanting each country to sort out their own problems,and you might want to start with your own government,that’s the plan over here,come the euro elections there are going to be some surprises in The EU,
By the way ,I agree with you that the EU made a monumental mistake in taking them in,but it is absolutely NOT my job to fix the often corrupt governments of other countries who incidentally are responsible for keeping their own people in poverty while the political elite enjoy massive wealth which they acquired from their own citizens.
My country is Scotland,and I have little respect for any politician regardless of their country of origin.Governments exist to control the people who they govern.
I choose to help those closer to home,first and foremost.
I believe all nation states should put their own houses in order before offering unwanted “advice ” to others.
Poor countries are almost always poor,because those in charge keep the wealth for themselves and show little regard for normal folk.
I have never pointed a finger at anyone ,am not and never will be racist,Nor am I rich ,I work for myself,and expect no help from anyone.
I believe now and always have that we would all of us be better off if the EU had never come into being.
The Greeks have learned that the EU is an anti-democratic dictatorship led by unelected officials determined to destroy and impoverish European nation states while enriching themselves and their corrupt cronies in the process. They have also learned that they are trapped within the EU economic prison and that any possibility of regaining their national sovereignty by exiting the EU will be a long and arduous battle.
Very few countries met the EU’s own criteria for joining the euro. In their haste to shackle all to what they knew would be the route to further integration of nation states the Federalists turned a blind eye . They hoped they would get away with it . They didn’t.
Greek Presidency of the Council of the EU would be more probably recorded in the historical archives as a Symbolic, low profile, presidency, which impelled the Union’s integration, after a series of miss-folds (austerity measures, economic recession, enhanced populism, eurosceptism and extreme right parliamentary politics), through the fact that a southern European country, which was severely hit by the state-debt and euro-zone crisis, could still lead the Council of the whole of the EU, with positive-oriented policies-proposals, even in the framework of a less important role of a rotating presidency, in comparison with the past, before the establishment of a permanent Presidency of the European Council (currently H. A. Van Rompuy).
leave the britsh alone ukip are coming to kick the eus ass