greece

UPDATE 27 June 2015: The drama surrounding Greece’s fate in the eurozone has taken yet another twist. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, has called a surprise national referendum for 5 July on the question of whether or not to reject the proposal put forth by the institutions overseeing Greece’s bailout. Effectively deciding whether or not Greece leaves the eurozone.

UPDATE 05 June 2015: Greece has missed a €300m debt repayment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a move that Grexit-watchers are calling a “warning shot” to creditors. As part of a little-known mechanism created in the 1970s, the debt-ridden country has bundled all its IMF debts in June into a single payment due at the end of the month.

Lenders have agreed to compromise slightly on the scale of budget cuts they would like to see, but have so far refused to consider the debt relief being demanded by the Greek government. For its part, the SYRIZA government argues that the austerity measures imposed on Greece have only plunged the country even further into debt. Meanwhile, increasing capital flight is sparking rumours that capital controls may soon be required. Is it too late to stop a Greek default and exit from the Eurozone? Or is this all just political brinksmanship, and a deal will be reached by the end of the month?

UPDATE 27 May 2015: Without a last-minute deal with creditors, Greece will run out of money within a matter of days. Over the weekend, the country’s interior minister, Nikos Voutsis, told journalists that Athens will be unable to make a loan repayment due to the IMF on 5 June unless a deal is reached.

However, Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has denied that Athens will run out of money, saying he is confident a deal can be agreed. The mood has also grown more upbeat in recent days amongst creditors, with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker saying he is also optimistic about the prospects for a deal.

Will Greece run out of money next Friday? And what would be the impact of a Greek default on the rest of Europe (or, for that matter, the global economy)? Let us know your thoughts and comments on this issue, and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions.

UPDATE 11 May 2015: Negotiations between Athens and Greece’s creditors are entering crunch time. Eurogroup finance ministers are meeting in Brussels this afternoon to discuss Greek economic reforms, while a 770 million euro IMF repayment looms on Tuesday.

Greek officials have denied that Athens could refuse to repay the IMF if talks go badly today, and they also insist there is no Plan B as an alternative to successful negotiations. However, analysts worry that the Greek government’s finances are being stretched to the limit.

Will Greece’s negotiations with creditors eventually succeed and allow the country to remain in the Eurozone? Or will the Greek state simply run out of money and be forced to default? Is the Eurozone heading for an “accidental Grexit”?

25 February 2015: After tense negotiations, Greece’s bailout has been extended by another four months. In return, the new Greek government (lead by the radical left SYRIZA party) has agreed to a series of compromises, including public sector reforms, delaying a minimum wage hike, consolidating pension funds, eliminating incentives for early retirement, and clamping down on tax evasion. The full (long) list of reforms has been published by Reuters.

National governments still need to give their approval (including several parliamentary votes), but one of the key opponents to an extension, German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble, has now asked the Bundestag to back the deal.

Some of our readers won’t be pleased by the news. We had a comment sent in by Angele, arguing that the Greek government should not be intimidated by threats and should push to renegotiate the bailout conditions in full, launching its promised welfare package and demanding a write-off or restructuring of part of its debts.

To get a response we spoke to Manfred Weber, a German Christian Democrat MEP and Chair of the centre-right European People’s Party group in the European Parliament.

We had a very different suggestion sent in from Kevin, who believes that the only sensible option available for Greece is to default on its debts, return to the Drachma and rebuild its economy.

The American economist Barry Eichengreen has argued that there are significant practical challenges to introducing a new currency, effectively making it impossible to return to the Drachma quickly and secretly. He believes that, when Greeks learned that the value of their savings was about to go down significantly, it would trigger the “mother of all financial crises”.

Furthermore, if investors realise it is possible for countries to leave the Eurozone, they may believe that Spain, Italy or some other country will be next. Borrowing rates could increase in those countries, triggering a full-blown crisis. In other words, it is not at all clear that leaving the Euro (at least, in an orderly fashion) is a realistic option.

The other problem, of course, is that SYRIZA has no intention of leaving the Euro (and there are no mechanisms in place to formally eject a country). We spoke to Stelios Kouloglou, an MEP with the governing Greek SYRIZA party. What would he say to Kevin?

KouloglouWell, leaving the Euro is not our objective. We want to stay within the Eurozone, but we also want the Eurozone to make some structural changes so that the countries of the South have a more balanced relationship with the countries of the North.

Since the introduction of the Euro, the countries of the North have increased their productivity, whereas all the countries of the South – not only Greece – have become less industrial and more dependent on money coming from the rich countries. So, we have to find a new balance.

If we can find this balance then we want to stay within the Eurozone. We believe that no country can stand alone in a globalised world, so even Germany has to make alliances and work together with other countries to confront the challenges of globalisation.

Should Greece leave the Eurozone? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below, and we’ll take them to policy-makers and experts for their reactions!

IMAGE CREDITS: CC / Flickr – Ed Yourdon


777 comments Post a commentcomment

What do YOU think?

    • avatar
      Patrick

      Fadia check your facts first,
      Ireland successfully exits €85bn bailout programme,
      Ireland’s finances, budgets and policies have been under intense scrutiny since the country agreed to a massive loan package in 2010.
      Its debt masters, a troika of the IMF, the European Central Bank and European Commission, have carried out 12 intense reviews over the last three years and imposed a series of tough targets, all of which were met by the state.
      The Irish public has endured four austerity budgets since the EU/IMF agreed to grant the bailout.
      Over those three years, the Government has hiked taxes to the tune of €5.3bn and cut public spending by a cumulative €9.6bn.
      The country’s unemployment rate had soared above 15% before the start of the bailout.
      In the years before the banking crisis in 2008, Ireland enjoyed virtually full employment.
      The country will become the first eurozone state to have successfully completed a strict bailout programme.

  1. avatar
    Nina Nikoletou

    To be honnest with you we should since 2010, but it seems that this was never the case. The correct question here should be : Should the people of Greece be subject of this constant “threat” which is nothing but a fraud ? Should people of Greece, SPain, Portugal, Ireland, Cyprus bailing out EU’s bank systems ? So please rephrase your question. And don;t support this false campaign.

    • avatar
      Maria neto

      I fumou support your thought. You are correct. Let’s stop this absurdo campaign against the South countries.

    • avatar
      ioannis

      Well, yew it would be better for us to leave the EU and join Russia. They have a strong leader and even under very difficult circumstances, they still are one of the most powerful countries in the world. I am a conservative,and belong to a political party that believes to the European union, but i think, that we do not belong, anymore to the EU. If Russia would be better for us, then Russia should be our new ally.

    • avatar
      John Zervas

      Ioannis do never make the mistake of trusting the fate of a small naiton to a superpower. Historically is proven a million times that the strong eat the weak and that is what Russia will do to us if we let it. No, we should try to find a solution within the EU, we have sacrificed everyting for that right alone.

    • avatar
      Tarquin Farquhar

      @Trond Johannessen
      Please try to concentrate on the forum question else you sound a tad weird – as in this case.

    • avatar
      Paul X

      If it is the home that is causing the illness, it would be wise to leave

    • avatar
      George Plaskasovitis

      In this house there is a virus that attacks to the most vulnerable members of the family. So the ill member should move out from this house!

  2. avatar
    David Petty

    Of course they should! Every European country should, im sure we could all get along without this undemocratic monstrosity!!!

  3. avatar
    Nikos Trikilis

    Europe should abandon the euro altogether, and eventually will do so either by member state or by general consensus. The only question is whether we can be civilized or whether a catalytic event (war) will have to occur for Europe to reinvent itself. There is no ideology or practical benefit behind defending a single currency indefinitely.

  4. avatar
    Mihai Catalin Agape

    A big eu family means a bigger power, i think greece belongs in the eu family. Patience and everything is going to be just fine.
    Every nation has there glory days and darker days, so, where is the unity in this big european family?
    Russia stands there and waits for this big project called EU to fail. I believe in a strong europe.

    • avatar
      Tarquin Farquhar

      Bigger power for whom – the corrupt EU ‘politicocrats’?

      The EU as a pole/bloc is too small demographically and geographically to be of significance in the next 20 years or so UNLESS it joins as a junior partner with the Anglosphere perhaps?

      In 20 years or so Africa, China, India, Asean, Mercosur and NAFTA will all end up more powerful than little pipsqueak EU.

  5. avatar
    Buzbağ Baris Avci

    Yes they should. People of euro zone should consider their alternatives. EU has come to it’s end. Corruption can’t be maintained any longer. This is not peoples’ fault. Goverments and corporations harm more than ever. This should be stopped!

  6. avatar
    Maria Helena Neto

    No, Greece should and will not leave Europe now. We hope to have a chance, in a future nearby, to implement the Ulisses Project designed for the s Called “PIGS”

  7. avatar
    Paulo Especial

    No country should leave the Eurozone except by own decision!

    We’re trying to build a better Europe, where all europeans can be part of and treated as equals not to use what We’ve got done already as a form of blackmail to impose some burocratic measures!

    • avatar
      Joe

      Please stop the bull s**t of leaving the Europe .lets build one Europe plus USSR one corency…one.. Language …no borders withen Europe….let’s build .United stats of Europe .. LONG. LIVE. EOROPE………

    • avatar
      Tarquin Farquhar

      @Joe
      I say on the subject of bovine faeces YOUR post has to be the most splendorous and representative example of same.

  8. avatar
    Natasa Jevtovic

    I don’t believe what I’m reading, that the German banks are taking the advantage of the Greeks… Nobody is forcing them to take loans, financed by the EU taxpayers through their banks, but once you take a loan you’re supposed to pay it back

    • avatar
      Nelson Santos

      The Greece’s debt currently is around 320 000 000000 € in 2010 was lower as rose with interest now let the numbers:
      the first rescue to greece in 2010 was 110 000 € 000 000, the second bailout to Greece in 2012 was 240 000 € 000 000 in simple accounts both redemptions add up to 350 000 € 000 000.
      why greece to ask a bigger loan that your debt?
      Why who lent the money made larger loans that the Greek debt?
      If not to save the German and French banks so why loans as high data by creditors?

  9. avatar
    G.DANIILIDIS

    Without Greece euro does not exist with tremendous impact.Maybe E.U. dissolves.The bail out was all for the benefit of market vultures with heavy interested loans namely in Greece but in fact imposed in all EUROZONE citizens.Greece has paid with 25% decrease in GDP , 1.3.million unemployed and debt increase from 120% to 180%.European leadership is cheating all european citizens and try to blame Greeks and punish the innocents with barbarian brutality.Greek fight to stand up is another a time crusial fight in the front line of democratic FREE Europe.

  10. avatar
    Stefania Portici

    we should leave all this EU. If Greece goes out will be good for her and will follow closely all the other countries are finally free from this monster Troika

  11. avatar
    Γεώργιος Δανιηλίδης

    Without Greece euro does not exist with tremendous impact.Maybe E.U. dissolves.The bail out was all for the benefit of market vultures with heavy interested loans namely in Greece but in fact imposed in all EUROZONE citizens.Greece has paid with 25% decrease in GDP , 1.3.million unemployed and debt increase from 120% to 180%.European leadership is cheating all european citizens and try to blame Greeks and punish the innocents with barbarian brutality.Greek fight to stand up is another crusial fight in the front line of democratic FREE Europe.

  12. avatar
    Fernanda Ribeiro de Carvalho

    The EU has came to its end.
    Let s face it and stop to getting poorer and stop scandelous corruption.People are not willing to take it anymore!
    Let s have a new systhem were countries of the south stop suffering and all of them may grow

    • avatar
      bert van santen

      Why?.
      What was wrong with the EC?
      European countries should work closely together, but everyone has to be responsable for their own “kitchen”

  13. avatar
    Sergio Rodrigues

    And after the union ends what?will corruption end?will polititiens become honnest?will Europ remain in peace ?will the citizens have more prosperity?what will be the cost?i have allways heard that together we stand divided we fall.

  14. avatar
    Alex Tselentis

    Its not about “Greece” Debating Europe .. Its about a BROKEN EU Oligarchy system of unelected bankers trashing Europe, everyone is “Greece” what was done to Greece, is planned for everyone, thus everyone is sick and tired of the EU its not run by Europe, its run by the ECB or Wall Street bankers, of whom not a single person in Europe has voted for, throw in the war they have started in Ukraine, anyone who still sees the “EU” as this utopian disney land of freedom and democracy, in short sadly is a moron.

  15. avatar
    Lourd McCabe Brockmann

    So the Greek people are absolutely blameless in all this and have never overspent? cos in Ireland we hold our hands up and say we did..

    • avatar
      Lazaros

      In ireland they did not take banks’ debt from the banks and put it on people’s back and country’s external debt. This is what happened in Greece. Don’t reffer to the greek people like they are a gang that did something all together. A few thousands partied and now 10 million ppl have to pay???

  16. avatar
    Laurinda Seabra

    not at all. but the EU leaders need to be more responsible and accountable to the people of Europe rather than to multinationals and just looking after their own political careers and pockets.

  17. avatar
    catherine benning

    Sadly, yes, Greece should leave the Eurozone and so should all those countries that cannot abide by control from outside our borders, as well as no longer be prepared to tolerate living within an undemocratic union.

    Unfotunately I believe there is no alternative as we are being run by banks and corporations that do not have to adhere to the electorate. And those who are running this show are in bed with them to the extent we will never be free.

    The only alternative, and this would have to be based on trust that our votes would not be interferred with, is to bring in Direct Democracy. That way, the people could reverse the downhill path we are currently on.

  18. avatar
    Diogo Guerreiro

    No, they don’t should leave. Why they should leave? They find another way of dealing with austerity. They should leave because that? Also Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ireland? Well… I would like do see where countries like Germany where would sell their goods. Where, many people write without know that germany and other like them, don’t pay as they think that happen. It’s easy to understand: european countries have created a fund, and this fund is use to give money to countries like Portugal, Greece, Spain, Ireland and Italy. But this money is from all european countries, not Germany only. It’s correct to say that Germany is one of the main contributors, but isn’t correct to say that Germany is giving money that we (PIGS) wasted. For exemple: I can give you my country exemple. Before 2008 the portuguese banks were giving money without any criteria. The law said that they must have 20% of the deposits, but they have loaned more than this percentage of security. Portuguese banks (many of them were private banks) owed money to international banks. With the crisis hitting the european system, the banks were bankrupt. What said portuguese government? He said that we – people – are living beyond our means. And for that we need to pay. But what really happen? We have paid the banks debt. The government have nationalized the private banks debt. And yes, we know that we are more poor than ever. But the portuguese people didn’t see any money. All the money goes to private banks. What will help Portugal? Isn’t your money! Help us rebuild our legal system and bring clarity to justice. We are a country of corruption. The portuguese people only cares about football and reality shows, they don’t know nothing about justice, law or economy. From this point of view this is very easy to corruption to grow.

    • avatar
      Tiago Ferraz

      Well this guy talk very well because all that i think about Portugal was talked for him. This is a country that only have corruption people only have the right of give all your money to country and government and only exist 2 criterias in Portugal the poor and the rich people. And in my opinion Portugal need to get back your currency because we dont have economy for Euro and that was killing us. For example when Euro comes to Portugal all spents rise for the double and income of works dont doubled like the monthly spent of workers. So for me countrys that dont have economy for Euro need to be GET OUT of that currency and TROIKA? DONT PAID THAT!!! In my point any country can take the control of any other country. And talk with respect about Portugal we have the greatest history in the World we discover the World and we divided the World in 2 parts with Spain soo please if want talk about Portugal talk with greatness because own history!!! BUT can talk with desesrespeculy manners about own political members that steal all own money!!!

  19. avatar
    Perttu Saraniva

    Euro should include only good economies. Greece has used bookkeeping fraud and corruption. Germany, Austria, France, Benelux countries, Baltic countries and Finland are good economies. Also Spain suffers unemployment and corruption. Spain and Greece could do better with own currency. Perhaps Finland too.

    • avatar
      Tarquin Farquhar

      @Perttu Saraniva
      FTR the EU Baltic states cost states like the UK a lot of money to prop-up – suvh beggar nations are NOT IMHO ‘good economies’.

  20. avatar
    Michel Giovannini

    This is a Europe of finance and not a Europe of economy. It is a good project gone bad. In Italy, youth unemployment is at 50%. Tsipras is kind of a buffoon, a person who speaks and then does the opposite … a revolutionary without revolution. He won’t leave the EU and they won’t drive out Greece. We will go on like this… privatizing the States and accumulating debt.

  21. avatar
    Paul X

    Unfortunately once signed up, no single country can leave the Euro without experiencing total financial chaos and collapse

    Despite all the warnings about creating a currency without fiscal union, the naive idiots that forced the Euro project onto the peoples of Europe were so blinkered in their beliefs, and so driven by their egotistical dream to create a currency to rival the Dollar, that they never considered an “option B” was necessary

    The poor people of Greece (and other countries) are suffering incredible hardships for no other reason than the egos of a bunch of incompetent Euro-elitist…….I hope they are feckin proud of the monstrosity they have created…

  22. avatar
    Nick Chatzipoulidis

    In the eurozone ,out of the eurozone,In the eurozone ,out of the eurozone, at the end of the day we will catch a cold :D

  23. avatar
    Myron Kanakis

    i have been reading all your comments ,and my conlclusion is exactly what i was about to add in the first place.THE RIGHT QUESTION SHOULD BE :”SHALL GERMANY LEAVE THE EUROZONE?
    And the right answer should be YES!

  24. avatar
    Geoffrey Howard

    No. I would not kick my Brother or Sister out of the house if they were ill. We should help them, …BUT they must be able to help themselves and build on the strengths of that Cultural Region.

    But on the other side, if the country is broke, …how do they finance their military?
    That….is true savings, economically and resource-wise…to unite the militaries of the Cultural Regions of Europe into one defense force.
    I know some of the Nationalists here will disagree….but the days of Nation-States are over. The realization of the commonalities of humanity brings more advantages to all, than the dangerous misconceived divisions of the Westphalian mindset.

  25. avatar
    Lefteris Eleftheriou

    banks are private companies like stores. if a store goes bankrupt no one cares. it should be the same with banks. delete the debt of all southern Europe countries (Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland) and let the Deutsche Bank burn out and dissolve. Then it will become a European UNION.

  26. avatar
    Lorenzo

    A key aspect of the problem is the political conservativeness and shortness of Italian, spanish and Portuguese government, in opposing a government that is actually arguing for a wider change in European political economy. Austerity plans so far have failed, and not even mr.Schauble can deny that. The point of view that countries that made bad decisions in the past now have to suffer enormous social consequences and sell out most of their assets is easily refutable, quite anti-democratic and definitely anti-European. Problem is, Greece is being left alone in negotiating a different economic model from austerity, and this is very much the fault of people like mr.Renzi and mr.Rajoy. That said – of course you have to talk with the other countries, and of course the solution must be found together. The Greek government to seems less arrogant and more talkative than the eurogroup, honestly. We’ll see how it ends

  27. avatar
    Xana Fidalgo

    Europe now is Germany. and that is really bad!! No country should overlap others!! There is no diversity of thinking any longer.

    • avatar
      Tarquin Farquhar

      @Xana Fidalgo
      It is because of ‘diversity of thinking’ that the EU has gotten into this mess. Northern standards of honesty and decency have played second fiddle to Club Med standards of corruption, machismo and dishonesty.

    • avatar
      ironworker

      @Xana Fidalgo

      Right. German ambition and inflexibility combined with doing business with Putin, brought Europe on the verge of collapse. What they were thinking ?

  28. avatar
    ironworker

    Should Greece leave the Eurozone?

    I guess it’s inevitable. Greeks should be aware that once they are braking free, freedom comes with responsibility.

  29. avatar
    catherine benning

    @ Paul X:

    The suffocation from the US of the EU and GB is because of US government set up of Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac, Wall Street and the worthless dollar. The Euro was doing well and was about to take off globally and this was unacceptable to the US as they knew they would be swallowed up by their China borrowing. The Chinese have funded the dollar keeping it afloat. Our European taxes are being pilfered by the money markets. Stop playing the yanks game and get real. It is they who brought about our downfall not the other way around. And now they are robbing us all blind by grabbing the assetts under the disguise of debt repayment. What do you think the World Bank, IMF and the ECB along with them is. Please, don’t pretend you are stupid. You are trying to defend the indefensible.

    Greece is unable to get out from under this crazy system and they have been threatened if they should do so.

    My advice to the Greeks would be to use this four months they have to get free and default on the loan. Declare bankruptcy and return to the Drachma and leave the Eurozone. Otherwise their people will be unable to regain control of their land and will be enslaved.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xgxCf05Kmw

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6gSAKo_0Rk

    • avatar
      Paul X

      Catherine, whatever conspiracy theories are behind the cause of the current economic problems are not the subject of this topic, economic disasters have been a regular feature throughout history, the issue here is how can a country deal with these problems. The basic fact is those countries that use the Euro with its complete lack of fiscal control can do nothing and clearly it is the weakest economies that are going to suffer the most

      Greece is not being prevented from leaving by threats, even with all the pre-election rhetoric from the new government they realise that to even utter that they are considering leaving will cause mass exodus of capital from their economy and a total collapse of their financial system

    • avatar
      EU reform- proactive

      Forum question: a Greek- not a non Greek choice!

      However, since most issues revolve around money, debt, poverty, governments, bailouts and banks (latest & ongoing unpunished global banking scandals (HSBC & friends)- why not ask the DE to consider a presentation & discussion about “ethical & alternative banking”- how would sovereign governments & the EU react?

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_banking
      http://altbanking.net/

    • avatar
      catherine benning

      @ Paul X:

      The debt and the financial carry on is exactly why Greece and the rest are in the economic mire they are. Who are you kidding. It is all debt and finance related. As are most matters. And the relevance to this issue is paramount.

      If Greece was solvent no one would be asking this question put to us at all. Greece and all of us have been systematically robbed by the Capitalist regime we live under. And at the same time, the personal backers have made a fortune from it.

      The Greek islands, its lands and all of its wealth creation is being bought from them at fire sale prices. Listen to Max in the second link. These assets are worth more than the debt they have amassed. They, like the rest of us, one way and another, are facing pillage from the victors. Don’t try to pretend otherwise.

    • avatar
      Paul X

      I say again Catherine………. the reasons Greece and so many other countries are in a financial mess is not the topic of this thread, what can be done about the mess IS on topic. I’m saying that leaving the Euro is not an option for Greece or in fact any other country, they have made their bed and they have to lie in it because any country threatening to leave will suffer a mass exodus of capital and complete financial meltdown

    • avatar
      catherine benning

      Again, Paul X, you are not making any sense. Greece is already suffering under the weight of the debt in interest or usary they are paying to mafia like banking maniacs. They are far better off using the drachma that they can print themsleves than allow those who are, as we write, pilfering their entire coutnries assets at a speed that is joyful. They are leaving the Greeks enslaved forever.

      What is happening to Greece is going to happen to all of us sooner or later. And the UK has already sold its entire soul to the thieves of privatisation. Sit back and watch what happens when they begin the stranglehold. We will simply be a hated Hawaii.

      Additionally, you are telling us there is no point voting for Farage either, as he will be able to do no more than Syriza. We are all bankers stooges by your way of thinking. That’s what those shafters told Iceland. They got out though didn’t they? And so can we all. Just call their bluff and see the bastards poop their pants.

  30. avatar
    Mihai Catalin Agape

    The russians will try to harm europe with this kind of subjects. If russians from the villages situated on the easten border in Estonia and Letonia, will start to rise up againts the mayor and start to put some photos with some womens and childs, what do you think its going to happen? Both countrys are in eu and nato. So the key is that eu stays in this formation for now. Greece shoud think twice before getting out from eu.

  31. avatar
    Mihai Catalin Agape

    Check out some of the acounts, no history, not so many informations, recently created. Open your eyes people.

  32. avatar
    Eduardo Branco

    The real question is that germans are once again falling to that logic of “one against all” while the rest of Europe falls to the same logic of “all against one”, being “all” the europeans and the “one” Germany. A logic that caused near 70 million dead over 9 years of war in our european homeland, not many time ago. The real and longterm problem in Europe (let alone the EU) is the integration of Germany, not the integration of Greece. I believe germans should realize that they will not be given a third chance! If there is a Third War, it will be indeed a genocide war. And we all should keep in mind, as a certainty, that, if EU falls, war will follow immediately….

  33. avatar
    Henrik Laidlow-Petersen

    All voters in EU should experience a bit of democracy. The few who had a say were either told try again or were ignored by unelected and unaccountable career politicians. Let us revert to what we wefe initially told it was about – free trade among independent sovereign states.

  34. avatar
    Ed Cocks

    If they wish and if they pay their debt. Let Russia try to carry their economy.

  35. avatar
    Andrey Img

    My opinion is that Greeks’ should leave the Eurozone and go with Russia :) . Greeks dont care if they are in Eurozone .

  36. avatar
    Κατερίνα Τσικαρίδη

    Greece’s dept is now 350 billions!! 233 of them, have been given to the Banks, while the dept has been given to the people to pay!!! The rest of it, has been stolen by the politicians…We, people of Greece, have never touched one cent of these loans! So, if our new government agrees for us to pay for something we did not use, then YES we don’t need Europe!! The only thing we need is our dignity…

  37. avatar
    Ana Paula Galó

    J era de prever, ns pedimos 1/4 do que eles pediram emprestado e no lhes acontecia nada? No tinham que fazer reformas…

  38. avatar
    Francesco Totino

    nooooooooooooo ….the Greek Alexis Tsipras and Yanis Varoufakis economic and social policy will be successfull if the Greek huge debt could be renegotiated from one side and from the other side Greece would be able to realize a revolutionary restructuration of both the Political and the Public Administration system .. as we have suggested several times … but also in this second point its important the EU , BCE , IMF and all worldwide financial Institutions demonstrate to be able to restructure their all financial system .. blocking tax evasion , fiscal havens and most of the speculative finance … Greece alone as well as Italy cannot do much ..remember !! : http://economicsandpolicy.blogspot.it/2013/03/what-europe-should-do.html

  39. avatar
    Steve Macri

    The entire idea of the ” Eurozone” is poorly thought out and has been poorly implemented.

    As I read the comments about Germany I ask,” if you don’t like the idea of Germany being the leader pull out”.

    It is the only really successful country there.

  40. avatar
    Jude De Froissard

    The euro should be a common currency for exchange….and not a unique currency…..countries differ too much economically and therefore are not on the same level. Besides, each country should decide to do what it wants budget wise…this is real democracy….now,we don’t have financial democracy..but economic dictatorships from richer and more powerful countries and banks.
    I still see some persons here who confuse european union with eurozone….pitty.

  41. avatar
    Isabel Faria

    Why the hell should Greece leave? Greece has been the only country able to pinpoint the lack of coherece and justice of the European policies and the influence of the financial systems. Do the remaining countries really wish to stay under such policies? Greece is not the problem. Policies have to change and be good not just for some minority of financial interests but for the populations as a whole.

  42. avatar
    Nikolaos Sotirelis

    1) It was never Greece’s bailout. It was Greece’s disaster. In fact it was German and French banks’ bailout. Now it’s simply transportation of money from one lenders’ pocket to another, by charging Greece interests, just to cover the failure.
    2) Others might, but Greece will never leave Eurozone. It will leave last of all. It might also ironically call its mone Euro and not drachma. If it is to become bankrupt, will be within the Eurozone… and whoever last ;)

  43. avatar
    Vinko Rajic

    NO , they should stay , if they leave they are going to become poor country . EU should help them . Greek problem is
    Corruption and crime, EU should help them to destroy corruption . Problem , you should understand Greeks ! You borrow money to corrupt country like Greece or Croatia and those money just disperse . The only thing that is left is a huge debt to poor folk . Poor folk is than just a slave to the banks and rich-corrupt people send money to secret accounts in Switzerland . Than you have problem that poor people are very angry just because they have to pay back a huge amount of cash and they have to spend life in poverty . EU should help corrupt countries in their fight against corruption and tax evasion , how much in tax has been collected from example Apple and Google in Greece = 0.00 $ . European System of Central Banks should write off debts , arrest gangsters and help poor countries to become free of slavery . http://www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results

    BBC – tax evasion : Mr Henry said his $21tn is actually a conservative figure and the true scale could be $32tn. A trillion is 1,000 billion.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18944097

    Greek cash is in Swiss banks . The Tax Justice Network has said that there are over ?20 billion in Swiss bank accounts held by Greeks. The former Finance Minister of Greece, Evangelos Venizelos, was quoted as saying “Around 15,000 individuals and companies owe the taxman 37 billion euros”. A study by researchers from the University of Chicago concluded that tax evasion in 2009 by self-employed professionals alone in Greece (accountants, dentists, lawyers, doctors, personal tutors and independent financial advisers) was ?28 billion or 31% of the budget deficit that year. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Greece#Tax_evasion

    • avatar
      Patrick

      Well said Vinko, the Greek government got themselves to blame for this mess. The way the Greek government have insults the Germans etc, and yet expect them to hand out billions on their terms. Then the Greeks went on about the war etc. How about the Greeks paying compensation for the civil war? atrocities in the Greek civil war, children taken from their families and sent to former eastern bloc countries. Did Alexis Tsipras and Yanis Varoufakis condemn Golden Dawn when theses thugs were attacking foreign nationals living Greece? before they came into power? no they didn’t. Euronews have reported that Athens is the most hostile capital to foreigners,Vinko mention which was in the media about Greece former finance Minister with Swiss bank account. Look like everyone in Greece is filling their own pocket from top to bottom. Seems there is no transparency in Greek politics, I don’t think Tsipras and Yanis Varoufakis will tax the rich in Greece afraid they might take their money out of the country, and put it into Swiss banks. or they have nice deal with tax officials there. Tsipras and Varoufakis can always run to Putin for money. Mind if they decide not to pay back Putin, I’m sure he send in his army into Greece, just like he did in the Ukraine, what Greece do them go crying to the EU? you see Tsipras had made some promises to the Greece people that he didn’t once blame previous government policy for the mess or the corruption going on in Greece etc. no it was the German the EU false etc. Tsipras is more worried about his ego and popularity among the Greek voters.

  44. avatar
    MAnlio Poto

    should Europe help Greece?? I think so, on the otherside this Europe is unuseful !

  45. avatar
    Nikolaos Sotirelis

    It seems that nothing is like it appears! :) I would love to have a logical explanation for the diagram above!!! (and imagine it’s 3 years after the beggining of crisis!!!!!!!!)

    • avatar
      EU reform- proactive

      Nikolaos- this is a poor diagram! Maybe the following info is of some help:

      * “Gross external debt of a country”: total public and private debt owed to non residents by residents of a country”. See:
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_external_debt

      * “Internal debt” (household, local institutions etc): is part of the total debt of a country that is owed to lenders within the country.

      * “Government debt”: (public debt or national debt- debt incurred by governments on behalf of its citizen’s- owed by all citizens/taxpayers & “future generations”!
      see debt-to-GDP % or ratios & per capita debt:
      http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/774/economics/list-of-national-debt-by-country/

      General:
      http://economicsconcepts.com/burden_of_national_debt.htm

      Critic: Greece spend too much on “wastage” (corruption), a large expensive, unproductive and inefficient bureaucracy- instead directing their spending on income producing assets- beneficial for the country’s competitiveness & increasing their GDP.

  46. avatar
    Nikos Themelis

    There is no Europe:There is Germany’s domination.
    There is no Euro:There is the German mark camouflaged as Euro,where Germany is doing what it wants at the expense of the others.

    When eurocrats are saying that “elections change nothing” that’s the end of the European Union as a project.

    So if “elections change nothing” where is the much discussed “democracy” in europe? there isn’t any democracy in europe.There is only the power of the bankers and politicians.

    Elections are just a stupid carnival to have people think that have any say in their countries future. They haven’t. The game is rigged in favour of the rich and the bankers and the vested interests.

    Both the euro and the european union are a fraud,a failure.
    I want out.

  47. avatar
    Raul Machado

    The eurozone was a big mistake….. This crisis was only good for the German banks earn money …. Only eurocrats earning a lot of money to do nothing……

  48. avatar
    Teresa Guerreiro

    Of course no! Maybe euro should be reviewed and monetary policy changed. Maybe euro should disappear…

  49. avatar
    Yvetta

    No, Greece should not leave the Eurozone. Germany should leave the European Union because it is the one and only country that constantly disagrees with everything and opposes fiscal union and further integration. Also, it should leave, if it genuinely thinks that Greece and other member-states are dragging down its own economy and that, indeed, the Eurozone is bad for its own economy.

    • avatar
      Jenny Max

      Off course yes for the financial support & bail-outs but not to be responsible and pay back! Whose ever heard of retiring at 56?? Unheard of in the world!

  50. avatar
    Bill

    Greece should leave the Eurozone of Merkel.
    The EU has lost its aim and focus.

  51. avatar
    Paul Moldovan

    No, Greece should get maturised and understand that has to be much more serious in relation with the other UE countries. We are living in a world where welth depends on serousness and work.

  52. avatar
    ironworker

    Austerity anyone ? Have some more… it’s “healthy” in long run… :)

  53. avatar
    Jaume Roqueta

    we should all abandon the Eurozone in orther to fight the mafia… or in the other hand, we should expulse Germany… 

  54. avatar
    Nick Micu

    Yes…because in Greece don t exist good conditions for have euro…And it s bad for a country witch don t have conditions for euro..All EU should work like in Germany…after tht ..Why Germany it s quilty for another witch like to stay on the beach and work no?! Euro its not good for the south east EU countries!

  55. avatar
    klassen

    Yes absolutley yes.
    Leave run jump out , just get out while you can.
    The eu is a maze ,once your in you cant get out.
    Its a feeding trough for the american bankster/oil cartel and the leaders of the eu are nothing more than eu/usa/corporate spokespeople thats all.
    Slick willies , and one world order extreemists.
    The american ecb is gouging economies all over europe by demanding billions in interest for loans .
    Countries need to print thier own money, not borrow from private banks, its financially destroying us all..
    Printing your own money doesnt cost anything, and Greece should consider this asap..
    The bank of canada just lost a court case , they were also borrowing from private banks while they have thier own bank capable of printing very nice fresh canadian dollars at no cost. The canadians also pay billions in interest to private banks for no good reason. So there is another more sensible way ..a better way . It would be nice to austerity gone, better more affordable healthcare, job security, investment, it can happen. But as long as these private banks continue to print money and we borrow it, Greece and the rest of us will be slaves to these cartels .
    Its not just about Greece, its about all of us..

  56. avatar
    Eugenia Serban

    YES under the present circumstances when Greeks elected an extremist socialist party who rejects EU. why ? Because they are in debt to EU.

    • avatar
      Marcel

      The extremists are IMF/ECB who only care about rich German bankers.

  57. avatar
    Kevin

    When Stelios Kouloglou says he wants a more balanced relationship between the South and North euro countries it is very vague ,what exactly is he proposing ? Good luck with changing anything or getting any concessions from Germany . He says even if he cannot get more balance he still wants Greece to stay within the euro . That means more of the same hardships for Greece , more debt and more austerity .
    All that’s doing is kicking the can down the road and looking forward to the next crisis meeting .
    I think the Greek people were expecting a bit more than a continuation of the same when they elected Syriza

  58. avatar
    eusebio manuel vestias pecurtoe

    I do not believe that europe has plan B on Greece I really believe in the Euro will stay strong and helping each other praticipants redemption join the orders of higher authorities for Euro waterings are to meet in accordance with the benefits of vulnerable communities

  59. avatar
    Patrick K Yankey

    It’s the best option for Greece to leave and consider devaluation so as to stabilise their economy. It’s not necessary to have common currency when things are bad in respective economies with exception of Germany and few. …

  60. avatar
    Sofia Roupakia

    This debate seems very strange to me and I am confused about its aims. I believe this question should be answered only by the Greek people who’ve made huge sacrifices thus far to be part of the EMU. National debt isn’t a Greek problem only and I wonder whether you should be asking all other EU members facing similar problems the same question. A better question might be around what policy responses the EU develops (and how) to overcome the global financial crisis.
    As a Greek I definitely don’t want to see my country out of the EMU!

    • avatar
      Marcel

      And why not out of EMU? Do you seriously prefer debt slavery over being better off? You and many other people need to break that psychological barrier that prevents you from doing what is best for you.

      The Euro is an unmitigated disaster for Greece and the rest of Club Med countries, why do you cling so bitterly to that which impoverishes you?

  61. avatar
    ioannis

    I did not vote for the present Government in my country, but under these circumstances, i think we should leave the Union and Euro.

    • avatar
      John Zervas

      No.

  62. avatar
    klassen

    They have 32 years or so of the same coming, its a mess and its time to cut losses.
    The american bankster cartel will find other troughs to feed from.
    What greece owes is what the cartels spend yearly on wars, removal of goverments , destabilization of countries etc. Its what Bill Gates has as chump change, or the Rothschilds make per month, its only money .
    Greece needs to get out like many other countries in the eu trap, regain their sovereignty, thier country, thier dignity.
    Look at ICELAND, they rejected the eu , locked up a few cartel banksters, and they have fully recovered..
    Lots of countries have devaluated thier own currencies, given the cartels a haircut and have gone on to recovery..
    EU scaremongering in the media should stop, but we all know who controls the media . Yes the cartels…

  63. avatar
    UKExpat

    This is a decision entirely for the Geeks they are a grown up democratic country. Other EU countries have no rights to intimidate them to go one way or the other.

  64. avatar
    Marcel

    For the life of it I don’t understand why they haven’t done so already, seeing as that would make them infinitely better off.

    But hey, if they continue to want more and more austerity so German and French bankers can have bonuses, who am I to tell they can’t have that?

  65. avatar
    Marcel

    The EU/IMF/ECB really do think that rich bankers are more important than ordinary people, did you hear about their latest proposals?

    “Don’t pay salaries for a few months to fund bankers bonuses”… well how magnanimous of them, this socalled ‘not-the-Trojka’.

    THAT is the state of things. This is what happens if you let unelected undemocratic politicians and appointed ‘leaders’ of ‘international’ institutions overrule democratic governments and parliaments. Since 2008 we have seen non-stop policies that benefit the rich, the multinational corporations and the banks. And as always, austerity for the common man (or woman).

    Ukraine is another example, right now the IMF is looting the place on behalf of foreign (non-Ukrainian) multinationals, and at the same time insisting on ‘austerity for the people’ aka big increases in gas and electricity prices, slashed spending on education, healthcare ea, slashed pensions etc… Ukraine: one pro-Russian set of oligarchs out, the next set of pro-western corporate oligarchs in. The oligarchs and foreign multinationals benefit, the rest of the people, not so much.

  66. avatar
    opinion from nowhere

    Europe has to forgive the debts of Greece. If Greece bankrupts whole Europe is going down the drain. Greece was a big investor in the neighbor countries. They lost their businesses to Germans and they have to get it back. Help Greece stabilize. The same goes for Cyprus.

  67. avatar
    Dimitris Athanasopoulos

    Ethnically we are Europeans and I am proud of it. Our position is in the European Union! Every EU country feels like home to me! We just need to work on our politics and finance!

  68. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    .

    Of course they will, the ‘Euro’ is nothing more than political lie and as always been just a temporary currency.

  69. avatar
    Maria Helena Neto

    No. Greece is very important to the geopolitics of Europe and the UE leaders should help the country to recover from the disastrous politics of the previous governments they had.

  70. avatar
    Katrin Mpakirtzi

    Euro..is not eurozone( eurozoni). We are European with good relations cooperations and market study ideas but Euro is too hard for small economies and countries without big industies. They close even those who was healthy and strong. Money for…nothing

  71. avatar
    Alexis Peter Ginis

    No. Basically because I feel a member of the EU and Greece, lets face it, it’s not the real problem, the banks are.

  72. avatar
    Lee Lovelock

    The Eurozone is the same as the Union. Leaving the Eurozone means not leaving the Union.

  73. avatar
    John Zervas

    It’s against the interests of my country to leave the Eurozone. It’s against EU’s interests for Greece to leave the common currency.

    No, what we need is for our growth to start happening. Here in Greece we face a serious issue

    The previous goverments were highly corrupt and were recyclying themselves by ensuring along with other mafia-like families who actually own entepreneurship on the interanationally exportable products (the ones that can actually end poverty with susttainable growth) that the people of Greece will never be able to liberalize the economy and have foreign serious investors start bringing money and jobs to us.

    If that happened the corrupt officials would lose everything.

    Here ist the thing however: The newly elected goverment are not tied to this corrupt system and have promised to change it. The bad thing is that they are hardcore leftist- idealists who dream of a non-liberal economy for Greece.

    The entire planet however is built on liberal economies so we may have changed officials but corrupt/ not corrupt the end rresult is the same, we cannot liberalize our economy and get ourselves out of the crisis.

    We need a far more politically unified Europe to get out of this mess. Don’t expect Greece to recover any time soon even Tsipras is not corrupt.

  74. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    Share the Euro, share the debt, share the pain, its the only way it can work as a currency.

    Fortunately we will never join it.

  75. avatar
    Alexander Themas

    If Greece left the Eurozone, it will also open a pandora box, not only for Greeks, but also for other Eurozone users

  76. avatar
    Agla Ntouni

    Of course , becouse if you do not remain the Greece member of the European Union , The European Union will are disabled!!!

  77. avatar
    Nando Aidos

    NO!
    The bankers and the incompetent politicians who allowed all this to happen should all leave the EU!
    Don’t punish the Greek people for the errors of some insane bankers and politicians!

  78. avatar
    James Kaberere

    Well, let’s see. Should California leave the dollar? Probably, not the wisest thing. Europe must change direction. At this moment the €Z only functions for the benefit of corporations. It is as if we have entered another type of industrial revolution, where people/workers were producing goods, they were under paid, and therefore they could not buy the goods they were producing.
    Germany alone would need to hire 8 million highly skilled professional by 2030 (http://www.ted.com/talks/rainer_strack_the_surprising_workforce_crisis_of_2030_and_how_to_start_solving_it_now). To me this is a self-proven reason why Germany and other super developed European countries why they have been misbehaving. No country has absolutely respected the fundamental reasons that led to the birth of the €Z.

  79. avatar
    Alex Kassios

    Leaving the eurozone is like leaving the roman empire.
    You should have never joined in the first place. Once you’ve fallen you are at the mercy of the “geromans”.

  80. avatar
    Dimitris Stamiris

    Yes … Keep your leader for you , enough with Germans who want all Europe !!!

    Enough with paying 5 times the debt and same time GERMANS have 4 raze in two years !

    Enough !

  81. avatar
    Andries Vienne

    I can understand the logic of a grexit from the eurozone, both from a greek and a european point of view, but we should make it abundantly clear that leaving the eurozone has nothing to do with leaving the EU. Greece is an integral part of the EU and there is no reason whatsoever to change that.

  82. avatar
    Ivan P. Romagnoli

    This question is SO STUPID!!!! You would let countries like Greece (where thousands of years ago born democracy and the “legend of Europa”) leave the euro currency (and maybe also the EU) and let an Islamic and authoritarian country like Turkey (which has nothing in common with us) to join the EU??!!! I see EU politicians are completely crazy, better for EU citizens to move to Russian Federation or USA, at least these 2 big federations are much better than us.

  83. avatar
    Josephine Cassar

    Yes, let them fend for themselves if they do not want austerity; we had austerity because of them, we want our money back, bank or no bank, the buggers

  84. avatar
    Stephen Pain

    Of course they can, but the financial road to recovery will perhaps lead Greece to having many Faustian deals. I would prefer that Greece remained. I heard a Spanish diplomat refer to the crisis as like a party. Spain and Greece went to a bar and it seemed that were free drinks all round. Then the barman, the European Bank showed them the bill.

  85. avatar
    Marian Nicuriuc

    no, why would one think at such a thing, it is stupid indeed to let this ideas on one’s mind, a lot of waves they can start with such a mesure and it would be all for tomorrow

  86. avatar
    Andrew Lally

    Shouldn’t Germany leave the euro?
    It’s the country whose economy doesn’t fit the requirements of the rest of us.

  87. avatar
    Nikolaos Sotirelis

    Be certain that Greece will leave last from the Eurozone! In fact, she’ll keep the name of her currency “Euro”, just for irony! ;)

  88. avatar
    ioannis

    I believe that Greece should not leave the Eurozone and that is why.
    On 2009 every body became aware that Geece had, among other,two major problems.First, a huge governmental dept,and second a monstrous yearly deficit of almost16% of GDP.After discussions between Eurozone countries,a solution approach was reached ,according to which, all greek dept would be taken over by the rest of the EZ countries andIMF(to be paid back in many years to come),whereas Greece would start making the necessary reforms,under the suggestions and supervision of the TROICA,so as to achieve a balanced government yearly budget.It seems that, this effort was believed to bring the necessary results within 4-5 years,without bringing such a crisis to the society.
    The reason why this happened, i believe is, that both parts of the story went wrong.First,the greek governments ,working in a clientistic way, did not pursue the difficult reforms,but went on with horizontal measures,that destroyed the economy.On the other hand TROICA,was more than it should, optimistic about its proposals ,i believe because the models it used were based on experience with countries of different mentalities and governmental”procedures”.Due to the clientistic manners of almost all Greek governments the message that was passed to the Greek society (and has to a high degree been absorbed) is that
    TROICA is responsible for the misery and especially the German government(for the known reasons).
    I believe that Greece,will be destroyed for many years to come if it gets out of the EZ.This is not understood in the country because nobody tells the trouth about such a case.And the trouth is ,that over the problem of instant and afterwards cotinueous depreciations,the country would still have to pay its international dept,which by that time would be app.350-400 % of its GDP(if the GDP stays at todays levels,otherwise 500-600% of that time GDP)
    So my suggestion is that a compromise should be reached between TROICA and the Greek government.

    • avatar
      Thanos

      If a european country has a problem such as economic crisis, it is not the county’s issue but, the eurozone’s corrupted system. How about letting Greece to create euro instead of Germany using real values, recreating europe? The biggest issue right now is that we are heading to split europe in two parts. south and north. That means the creation of two different economic type of euro. That mean the economic Bounds between south and north, wont let the poorer people to pass from the south to north. Also dont forget the immigrants who survived from middle east and are going to europe for a better life condition. The north doesn’t wants them and as a result Greece is becoming a box of souls with no money to take care of. How they are going to survive in a country that can not even survive by itself under this european conditions and way of thinking? (by eating other people?) Remember we spend billions and trillions on weapon systems for killing other people but when it comes to talk for a european society and globalization we have no money. ”You can fool some people some times but you cant fool all the people all the time.” And something else.
      the Greek marbles must return back to their homeland. Then we could start discussing about Grexit or Germanexit or Francexit. Euro or Geuro.

  89. avatar
    Jude De Froissard

    A new europe is needed…true that greece made mistakes. ..so did many other countries and their turn will come unless new policies are adopted.Mr Romagnoli made here a very wise comment…the wisest i can read so far.But if the euro is here in order to destroy a country …let it leave it…but european union without Greece would be ridiculous and shameful.

  90. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    .

    Every country that joins the EU MOST join the Euro at some point, so Greece leaving the Eurozone will inevitably lead to them leaving the EU.

  91. avatar
    Fadia Khraisat

    Not only greece, also italy, spain, ireland and portugal..because this kind of europe not represents us!!!

  92. avatar
    Cristian G. Dinu

    Greece is a bottomless pit, living on borrowed money that they will never pay back. The logical decision would have been the euro exit right from the beginning. This will eventually happen but after many hundreds of billions vanish away.

  93. avatar
    Krol Henri Richard

    Europe does not exist! Because everybody has their own finances army etc… A french guy is not european he is french! A dutch guys is dutch not european so on and so forth!! Europe is a psycological excuses to make us feel united yet we are more apart because all we care is our country status comparing to other EU all countries has their standards! No EU STANDARD basicaly the eu make us poorer with the euro currency the only smart ppl were britain who kept their and the pound are above us! Europe is a joke!!!

  94. avatar
    Giorgos Beitis

    If Greece leaves many other EU countries will follow. The panic that will be caused in the markets alone will hit the euro so hard that even the “healthier” countries will feel its effects.

  95. avatar
    Pierre Samu Tandorf

    No. If a state decides to leave the Union that’s on them. But we’re trying to get all states in the euro zone, so why would we want one to leave it. In the future, no no country should be granted statehood of the EU without fulfilling and accepting the criteria to adopt the euro upon joining the EU.

  96. avatar
    Pierre Samu Tandorf

    No. If a state decides to leave the Union that’s on them. But we’re trying to get all states in the euro zone, so why would we want one to leave it. In the future, no no country should be granted statehood of the EU without fulfilling and accepting the criteria to adopt the euro upon joining the EU.

  97. avatar
    Rémi Martin

    There isn’t possible to leave eurozone without leaving EU, no article allows that, look the treatys!!!

  98. avatar
    Rémi Martin

    There isn’t possible to leave eurozone without leaving EU, no article allows that, look the treatys!!!

  99. avatar
    eusebio manuel vestias pecurto

    The Greece is only a smail part of the economy of the Euro to Greece leaving the monetary union would not be a disasters and would be even better to Greece must comply with the watering of the monetary union game

  100. avatar
    Lourd McCabe Brockmann

    Well if Greece really feel they can go it alone then fire ahead. Im sure their industry and honest government will get them all back on track – we wont be able to go on holidays to greece though;(( but ill keep buying olive oil from you

  101. avatar
    Stelios Peppas

    well if you want to “destroy”, in a scale of ten years, most of the post communistic democracies and economies of EU group now, you can let Greece to leave Eurozone. If you want cheap working power from them though, you don’t do that.

  102. avatar
    Eva Benko Zoltan

    I think all the countries from the south of Europe should leave the Euro. To get out of the crises we need a bit of inflation and rise of sallaries, as the Europian leaders do the opposite, in the euro we get every year deeper in the crises and the banks and multinationals get richer on our account.

  103. avatar
    Vinko Rajic

    NO , Greece should stay in EU but EU police should investigate their corruption and help them to solve their problem with debt.

  104. avatar
    Jaroslav Aliasevic

    That shows only the economic points of Europe and NOT interesting of Comune Europe Union culture diversities believes of protection and future development societies collaboration, life without war. The reason of Greece Debits must be for all as lesson, but EU must show that are stronger any crises,

  105. avatar
    Jaroslav Aliasevic

    That shows only the economic points of Europe and NOT interesting of Comune Europe Union culture diversities believes of protection and future development societies collaboration, life without war. The reason of Greece Debits must be for all as lesson, but EU must show that are stronger any crises,

  106. avatar
    Gerry Mavrie-Yanaki

    NO, NO,NO. Greece has to stay in the Eurozone . Greece needs to be part of the European Superpower. China has recently said that it wants enlargement of business investments in Greece because Greece is a member of the EU and the Eurozone, What needs to be done in the flawed eurozone is that it needs to be reformed so we have a functional Economic Transfer Union like there is in the United States. The other thing that needs to be done is for Greece to open up its closed economy which has created all this financial , economic and social problems in Greece. .

  107. avatar
    Mário Baptista

    Leave the euro and leaving eurozone must not be the same thing. One thing is sure, europe needs UK and Greece to be a part of it. We leave them with the responsability for them to do the smart thing for them and for us.

  108. avatar
    Gio Cruz

    Definitely not leave Europe or Schengen or anything, but maybe switch to a new coin that allows to devaluate it. However, they should prohibit exchange fees.

  109. avatar
    David Petty

    Yes, all Europe should abandon the monstrous European Union. Do we really need a middle man to trade with each other?

  110. avatar
    Theofilos Papadopoulos

    If Eurozone means to be a country with permanent financial crisis in order to have a cheap Euro and a prosperous small group of countries around Germany, Yes ….Greece as many other countries should live Euro.

  111. avatar
    UKExpat

    The fact is unlike other countries in the EU Greece spent to much money that it did not have and made itself virtually bankrupt. It was Greece’s decision to spend the money so it is clearly Greece’s responsibility to rectify the situation. Other countries can help a little but the main burden must rest with Greece. Greece cannot expect other countries who also went through bad times to risk their hard earned financial stability by donating their reserves to a country that managed to squander their own money.

  112. avatar
    Dimitris Athanasopoulos

    We Greeks are and feel Europeans. I personally feel as much European as I am Greek. I consider all European countries as MY HOME!! Just because the polititians have different interest it doesn’t mean that we should leve our union.

  113. avatar
    Pavlos Papathanasiou

    A potential “default” and a GR-exit would be definetely a bless for the Greek people who have suffered dramatically and have sacrificied their works, lives, dreams and dignity in the name of a German imposed austerity; Our unemployment rate is almost 26% officially, we have more than 7000 suicides in the last 5 years, an enormous brain drain (some speak for almost 300.000 new immigrants) , almost half of the population living under the poverty line etc etc. Greece’s debt is very small compared to that of Italy’s of Holland’s. And while in the Netherlands the minimum wage is more than 1200 euros in Greece the minimum wage is between 400-500 euros. So it is totally stupid and hypocritic to accuse the Greeks for being lazy or for refusing the “reforms”. Which reforms actually? And Eurozone is asking “reforms” from our people in terms of the pensions and salaries and more firing, while all these measures cost sth between 1-2 bn euro. Do you happen to know how much money the pension’s funds lost with the PSI restructure? And in the core of the problem; Do you know how much did the recovery of the banks cost to the national debt? Some argue an amount of 250 bn euros! So how can the Eurozone dare to accuse a whole nation for not doing “reforms”? This EU is not functioning. This EU is not hearing the voices of its people. This EU needs to change now (see the results in Spain and Poland) If it is does not change, then I am sorry but the best solution for my homeland Greece, is to “default” and return to Drachma! http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/dec/08/europe-working-hours

  114. avatar
    Alex Tselentis

    If Greece leaves, the EU will decend into chaos, and others will follow .. Greece isnt asking for much, it was GAURENTEES that if it signs Brussels “package” that that package will END the 6 year never ending crisis in Greece, EU refusing to give gaurentees, as it wants to turn Greece into a thrid world countr, Greece will join BRICS the following morning and billions in investments will pour into Greece, if the EU doesnt want to deal with Greece, others will.

  115. avatar
    Michalis Pillos

    #Grexit is an unwise and anachronistic idea for #Greece & #Europe as a federal concept! Its also legally, politically and financially not feasible! Greece belongs to Europe & Europe belongs to Greece! ❤️🔫

  116. avatar
    Stelios Peppas

    Greece will leave Eurozone and will return to Drachma, only if it receives reductions of Maastricht treaty percentages about agricultural and industrial production and of course only if the North European countries set vast investments in those sectors. Those, though, aren’t going to happen soon, so i think that EU is going to collapse sooner than we expected and that will happen mostly because of the greediness of many North countries..

  117. avatar
    Milos Kostovski

    Please do that so that Macedonia can enter in EU and later impose a veto on Greece’s reentrance so that that could see and realise that the world does not revolve around them. Who the hell gets bonus on salary for coming on time. It was only possible on the shoulders of German taxpayers.

  118. avatar
    Gerry Mavrie-Yanaki

    The solution to the current economic crises in Greece is implementation of wide spread Economic and Structural Reforms with a 300 billion euro global investment in the MT OLYMPUS VENTURES project in Greece and the global economy, which will stimulate more than 2.4 trillion euros in global economic growth , from the economic multiplier effect. https://twitter.com/Olympus42

  119. avatar
    Irene Constantinou

    Of course not!! This is why we should stick together!! Today Greece has problems! What if in the future another European country has?? We will help in any way we can!! This is what a Union means!!

  120. avatar
    Thomas Hou

    Greece is the birthplace of Europe. No EU without Greece but a EU without nationalism!

  121. avatar
    Max Berre

    Economist here: We don’t really even have to ASK what happens in the event of a greek default. Obviously, there are creditors holding on to large amounts of greek paper out there somewhere, who would take an enormous financial hit.

    This is exactly what happened to cyprus. They had a banking sector which was larger than their GDP, and their banking sector took a large hit because of the greek paper held in their banks’ portfolios.

    So…where in europe is the banking sector very large relative to the GDP? In the northern parts. Banks in countries like Luxembourg, Ireland, and Netherlands would suddenly be in a lot of trouble.

  122. avatar
    Luis Terra

    I think Greece should leave the eurozone for it’s own interests but never E.U, nor shoud Greece ally with Fascist Russia.

  123. avatar
    Michail N Michail

    Yes. As a Greek I hope so. Would never be worse. Leaving eurozone doesn’t mean to leave EU and Europe. Denmark and Sweden for example are not in Eurozone but are in EU

  124. avatar
    Carlos Ferreira

    I think Greece should leave the Eurozone if there’s the possiblity of a coming back after some draining of the money crisis there.

  125. avatar
    Jean Pierre Ellul

    for the sake of those EU countries who had to contribute No. for the greeks probably the best solution but than they can not expect any EU aid or business

  126. avatar
    Anargyros Botsis

    If Greece leaves the EU, then it will succeed in a growth sth like 8-9% YoY and more countries will follow ( UK, France, …) and then Europe will never Unite again under Common Goals and Policies. But there is no EU Mechanism in place to deal with a Member State that defaults upon its Debt. So it will be very – very interesting. We the Greeks will just sit calm and watch. We have nothing to lose. Look at Podemos… We are not the only Country with Problems. If we can not resolve our problems in the EU, we will seek elsewhere for Solutions. We are not a threat to the EU, but what will follow a Grexit or Greek Default in the EU, will DIS-UNITE the Entire Continent. Look at the Geopolitics, look at the Map and get serious.

  127. avatar
    Jorge Machado

    next is UK and then Europe can stay with Merkel and her little puppy France alone in a historic disaster! Merkel must be fired, its urgent for the good of the EU

  128. avatar
    Albert Plug

    In spite of, what obviously seems to be the overall public opinion in the EU, the Greek are not the incompetent lazy bastards, that want the rest of the EU to pay for their dolce vita. They are hard working people, that want to contribute their share, and want to be part of EU. The only problem, that makes negotiating the situation difficult is, that IFKAT only sees one solution for solving the Greek financial problems. They lent Greece money, and Greece uses 90% of this money for bailouts. Nobody can meet this kind of expectations. Not even Greece. Austerity can be a solution, but not in this grade. So, yes to EU, no to extreme austerity.

  129. avatar
    Zdenko Žunić

    EU know what is situation in every country in EU and eurozone why than you accept every country without help them to stand on their own legs in economy and entire walue of EU isnt that true meaning of EU…..!!?My both contry are in EU but so far of true EU.

  130. avatar
    Andrew Lally

    The impact would be the bringing of the crisis to a head, instead of letting it drag on interminably. It would force Germany to reconsider its own responsibilities for mistakes in the management and design of the euro.

  131. avatar
    Miguel Matos

    They shouldn’t be kicked out or forced to stay, but if they leave the Eurozone everyone will lose

  132. avatar
    Dean Plassaras

    Collapse of the euro. This would be the effect of a Greek default. Which means collapse of German trade.

  133. avatar
    Jorge Lux

    What is the impact of the “Eurausterity” in all the EU country’s. That’s the question!

  134. avatar
    Triantafyllos Zervas

    The hypothetical(and impossible) Exit , not only of Greece, but of every country that now consists Eurozone would be fatal and destructive not only for the country but for the whole Eurozone itself. STOP the needless and imbecile scare of the EU citizens and combat ALL TOGETHER for our Eurozone’s solidarity and coherence.

  135. avatar
    Giossas Kostas

    Question is….which eu? Nobody(exept germans ) needs a german eu…because today THIS is europe….and alexandra de klerk who says to you that we want to be europeans?????? The termine greek( ellinas) is biger than the termine european as well as in maths. Because to us greeks, belongs the termine europe and european, the western( greek/ roman) civilitation. And yes, we are proud to be orientals and westerns… This is our geografical position and our culture. If youre proud of your western civilitation, keep it, we are not interested

  136. avatar
    Gerasimos Laios

    The question is “should Greece leave the Eurozone” yet most commenters think that it refers to Greece leaving the EU. EU and the Eurozone are obviously not the same. Many EU members are not in the Eurozone. Get your facts straight.

  137. avatar
    Claudiu Popa

    If they will leave they will suffer the effect for 3 to 5 years. After that their economy will flourish.

  138. avatar
    Jude De Froissard

    Many confuse eurozone and european union…. no country is obliged to be in the eurozone in order to be in the european union…..and out of the eurozone will be painful. ..but not only for Greece.
    How is it possible to be worlwide known to live on a supposedly rich and prosperous continent and have all these stupid, ridiculous ,destructive, paralysing, ineffective austerity measures…? Enemies of europe wouldn’t act more negatively than those who impose austerity now.

  139. avatar
    Angelo Davaris

    Yes! Should then the remaining countries change the Greek name of Europe, Euro or should the Greeks charge the others for the unlawful continuation of Greek words from other countries?

  140. avatar
    Odysseas Skarpi

    Wake up guys. There is no way Greece leaves the Eurozone due to its geopolitical position. The U.S. does not want Greece to leave the Eurozone and Europe can only obey to Obama’s wish.
    U.S. can not risk Russia to take advantage of this situation when around us there are important developments (Ukraine, Israel isolated, situation in the ME)

  141. avatar
    Felix Moga

    This is a very stupid situation. Greece is te place that gave a name to the continent we live on. Just because Germany and France have their waltz dancing in any country they want, klling thw winyard in Spain and chickens in Romania, it doesnț mean the should decide instead of Greece. In my opinion EU is not functional yet for all the European countries.

  142. avatar
    Nikolas Kontogiannis

    The end of the eurozone cause greece basically is kicked out by Germany .with the lost of trust there will be the end to this multinational economic Union because countries like Germany seem to prioritize national interest than the common European…

  143. avatar
    Marios Tsamandouras

    YES. Eurozone doesnt represent a political union or any european people but interests of oligarchy and banksters against democratic values! Eutozone is sick and will die.

  144. avatar
    Vinko Rajic

    Bad , we should’t let Greece to go back into poverty and chaos . If the leave EU they are going to become poor country again . They should stay in EU but they should allow EU police to investigate their corruption . They should destroy their corruption and crime otherwise in just 15 Years time situation is going to be similar . Greeks can’t pay back , all should accept that. Their dept is 175.1% of GDP (2013) , that is imposible to pay back .
    Corruption and crime : Problem , you should understand Greeks ! You borrow money to corrupt country like Greece or Croatia and those money just disperse . The only thing that is left is a huge debt to poor folk . Poor folk is than just a slave to the banks but rich-corrupt people send money to secret accounts in Switzerland and other countries. Than you have problem that poor people are very angry just because they have to pay back a huge amount of cash and they have to spend life in poverty . EU should help corrupt countries in their fight against corruption and tax evasion , how much in tax has been collected from example Apple and Google in Greece = 0.00 $ . European System of Central Banks should write off debts , arrest gangsters and help poor countries to become free of slavery . http://www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results

    BBC – tax evasion : Mr Henry said his $21tn is actually a conservative figure and the true scale could be $32tn. A trillion is 1,000 billion.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18944097

    Greek cash is in Swiss banks . The Tax Justice Network has said that there are over €20 billion in Swiss bank accounts held by Greeks. The former Finance Minister of Greece, Evangelos Venizelos, was quoted as saying “Around 15,000 individuals and companies owe the taxman 37 billion euros”. A study by researchers from the University of Chicago concluded that tax evasion in 2009 by self-employed professionals alone in Greece (accountants, dentists, lawyers, doctors, personal tutors and independent financial advisers) was €28 billion or 31% of the budget deficit that year. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Greece#Tax_evasion

  145. avatar
    Eva Benko Zoltan

    All the southern European countries should leave the euro. For us it means only batches of austerity, to avoid that we get out of the crises. This is imposed by Germany to help get richer the banks and the multinationals. With the loans , the majority of the mony was for the bank and for us the austerity. We are fed up of thus cheating.

  146. avatar
    Nuno Ramos

    If this happens it’s on Germany, I don’t think they can afford more bad karma

  147. avatar
    Myron Kanakis

    well,i would like to rephrase the question.If eurozone knew obviously that the last 5-6 years,but in the previous years too,were not happening any reforms ,it was corruption everywhere ,the oligarchs ruled the country ,why e.u was keeping on “lending” money to Greece?
    And i have another question.It happens that i work in a tourism resort,i own a small company.I talk a lot with my customers,all my life i liked to do that.In the past 12 years we have been talking with different kinds of people around europe about european union,the eurozone ,the crisis later on ,etc.I havent met anybody,nobody to admit that our lives became better after the establisment of euro as a currency.That is the problem for e.u ,and of course a change,or even a revolution in the policies that r being followed…

  148. avatar
    Enri Zarka

    The source of the troubles that GR is facing now didn’t come from the currency, but from the bad management of the public finances, corruption and lies. The solution is not changing the currency but improving the wrong doings so far. All these take time and greeks living in GR must comply with these changes and support them. That is the only way out.

  149. avatar
    Athanasios L. Chondrogiannis

    To the Greeks here even if we go back to drachma we gonna need an austerity progam to recover ten times harder than the current one .do we have the political staff to implement such policies ? A Big No .Our problems cannot be solved if we don’t change simple as that

  150. avatar
    Mafig

    No way! Some years ago (2009 or there about) California went bankrupt and did not stop using the dollar. So why should Greece leave the Euro???

  151. avatar
    Antonio Borges

    Que Europa? A Europa comandada pelo general alemão? Esta Europa só interessa aos Alemães que conseguem instalar a fome noutros Países que são governados pelos beija mãos.

  152. avatar
    Emil Pavlovich

    No one will allow that to happen….it’s a game of trading…..for the best possible conditions for the debt. If that happens the whole EU will collapse.

  153. avatar
    Olivier Dutreil

    of course yes . THE ONLY WAY FOR GREECE TO RESTORE ITS ECONOMY IS TO RETURN TO DRACHMA AND DEVALUATE ; it will boost economy and tourism. GREEKS WILL LOSE SOME ASSETS but they took so much advantage from europe . 30 years ago it was cheap to go to greece now it is as expansive as france .

  154. avatar
    Nikolaos Sotirelis

    The dream, is a Europe of prosperity, not a divided Europe with children of a lesser and of an upper God.
    Otherwise the dream becomes a nightmare and this partnership has no meaning of existence, (except for those who deceitful earn from it)!
    Of course it’s out of the question, that if Greece forced to leave Euro, Eurozone will survive. Its dissolution is only a matter of time!… Everybody knows that!!!

  155. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    .

    Greece should stay in the Euro, declare themselves bankrupt and let the rest of the Eurozone pay off their debts.

    Share the currency, share the debt.

  156. avatar
    Erich Scheffl

    Greece is a victim of the speculation. Unfortunately, when pressure comes the EU-States don’t be united. When they wanted the Greece to join they were welcome. Now they are exploited. Seems that now it is to proof, if there is a united EU or not. Otherwise EU will fall to peaces again. There should have been a mutual Vision. http://www.WWSEEP.com . Together we are stronger than alone. Start Solidarisation. Not conflict.

  157. avatar
    Theofilos Papadopoulos

    European policies have destroyed Greek economy, now European elit show Greece as the bad guy. European solidarity is a myth, here in Greece we wish other european countries not to live this living experiment that Greeks experienced.

  158. avatar
    Ferenc Lázár

    Let the Greeks leave the E.U.monetary Zone, they can still live on within the E.U. borders like U.K. or Sweden or Poland! Even if it would cause a bit of problem for the financial, economic concerns of European Central Bank, it is still far less than the damage caused by months or years of uncertainty and “blackmail” of Greece towards European solidarity. Leaving eurozone and suffering of staying alone, would also show other members who are considering to leave that there are much benefit of the euro currency as well!

  159. avatar
    Eleni Katsiouli

    its time for Germany and Italy to leave the eurozone and to build a real EU based on social values for all, eg the 120 million europeans with disabilities !!!

  160. avatar
    Thanasis Dem

    Greece has paid a lot more than its debt!
    It has been paying ECB and IMF for almost a year, without loaning from anywhere!
    It is the only country in the world, doing something like that!!!
    We should stop paying anymore, without leaving Eurozone!!!

  161. avatar
    Alberto Rizzi

    There is no future for Greece outside the Eurozone, really. Some say that in the long run it would be a successful choice, but truth is that Greece simply cannot afford the economic disaster that would follow inevitably immediately after (not to mention that debts contracted in Euros should be repaid in the same currency). They would experience great inflaction, an additional increase of poverty and unemployment, they would not be capable to buy the necessary imported goods and so on.
    So the answer is very simple: NO.

  162. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    .

    No !, they should stay in the Eurozone and force the countries that share the currency to pay off their debts and then leave.

    The federalist fanatics wanted the single currency so they should pay for it.

  163. avatar
    Michael Doulakis

    Your article is incorrect . Greece was granted an exception , and was allowed to consolidate all 3 payments in one enormous payment at the end of the month .

  164. avatar
    Gonçalo Hall

    Well.. they efinetly have to change the way they spent the EU money, decrease the public money spent.. But I hope they can stay in the eurozone. If not they will sufer a lot in the next 5 years or so..

  165. avatar
    Péter Sebők

    Greece should leave the Eu immediately and join to the Post-Svoiet Russia and the Eurasian Union.

  166. avatar
    Peavy Liu

    The best way for Greece leader is making a series of reforms on reconstruction of domestic financial system by this opportunity.

  167. avatar
    Jean Sebastien

    Greece will leave eurozone as Argentina did it by leaving fixed currency rate with US dollar in 2001…

  168. avatar
    Xavier Kdl

    Follow the news… They asked for an exception made only once before: make on payment at the end of the month. Although they might be trying to buy some time they still are respecting the agreements.

  169. avatar
    Elissavet Lagou

    The right questions should be: Should Eurozone change into a true Union? If yes… countries stay where you are… if not then forget about Union altogether..

  170. avatar
    Pedro Jorge Lemos

    The poor countries in europe hasnt any future and all this is a dark game (trying to sink them and suck all they have) because the richest countries wants a “new” Europe… as germans some years ago tried to force a EU in two versions (the rich and the poor)

  171. avatar
    Björn Eric Ingemar Grahn

    We need to work towards less countries with its own currency not more. The more with single currency the better. Best would be to hawe only one single currency in the world

  172. avatar
    Björn Eric Ingemar Grahn

    To many thinks only of their own pockets. Were is the deeper understanding and social responsibility that we had before the fall of the East pact. The Usa economic way is a very bad way. We need something with in between market and Kommunism. We need to take the best from both worlds. Now is to mutch focus in the market. Especially the Usa one and to little on the social part. We would have needed to put in the same sanctions against the Usa for the spying and the attack on Iraq.

  173. avatar
    Fani Stavridou

    Your article is incorrect . Greece was granted an exception , and was allowed to consolidate all 3 payments in one enormous payment at the end of the month .

  174. avatar
    NIKOS MICHALITSIS

    Only time will tell if Greece should stay out or in the Eurozone.

  175. avatar
    Chris Alexander Zervas

    ~ Greece / HELLAS, HAS TO GET THE 340 BILLION EUROS FROM THE II W. W. REPARATIONS IMMEDIATELY AS THE MINIMUM OF THE GREEK GENOCIDE BY THE NAZZIS… ~ EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT, EXCLUDING NEW-GERMANS!!!

  176. avatar
    Toni Muñiz

    The EU should leave the EU. Drowned states in unpayable debt and your asking idiotic questions if Greece should leave? No, Greece should not leave, but EU needs real leaders who govern in the interest of the people, not banksters.

  177. avatar
    Michalis Pouros

    There is a reason why Greece missed the payment. Greece has already paid a lot….. Germany is not paying its debth to Greece. Should Germany leave the euro?

  178. avatar
    Ferenc Lázár

    They should definetly leave! This is not about solidarity anymore, it is about fooling the other member states to pay for their debts. How is it possible to keep the minimum wage at 800euro there, while in Slovakia or Slovenia is only 500euro, although these 2 eurozone countries have to pay for Greek debts!

  179. avatar
    Gianluca Raffi

    Some economists seem to think that Greece would be better off outside the Euro: after a period of economic pain, growth should (finally) make a return: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/11650240/Europe-has-no-choice-it-has-to-save-Greece.html
    In my opinion, Greece has been a victim of its own administration, but it has suffered also from ruinous policies imposed by the so-called “Troika” and a deeply flawed currency: the Euro is currently more similar to a fixed-exchange rate than a truly single currency, as, say, the American Dollar (or any other truly national currency) is. If there’s no political will in creating a truly and functional single currency, then yes, Greece should leave. And so should do others.

    • avatar
      Kyriacos

      Well put

  180. avatar
    Carlos Miguel Ferreira

    It’s all Political.
    ECB and IMF supporters want to demonstrate that Greece cannot recover outside the Euro.

    Anti-Europe groups, want to demonstrate that it is only possible to recoverby being outside the Euro.

  181. avatar
    Ferenc Lázár

    Ivan Burrows, u are right in some criticism but you’re going to far..Without the so called “wick countries” of East Europe who fighted to huge Soviet Russian empire you would all be communists by now! Meantime you had the possibility to develop,get rich and Poland, Hungary etc.had to keep the Soviets at your borders! We paid the price of being undeveloped, so now you’re saying you don’t want us..I wish the Russians come back and show you how it is to leave under their rules!

  182. avatar
    Lumi Mard

    really? who find out that Greece has no money in the box? and how? and why does it bothered them? I really do not understand…they were so upset …that made them borrow money to Greece…why?

  183. avatar
    Serge Lauer

    NO ! Agree clearly with Alberto Rizzi and most here .
    Detroit may have been a difficult child too but the U.S. never abandon the people during it’s decline !
    Without to mention that there exists much better solutions in changing finacial policies (more harmonizations and fiscal transfers and much greater 3%/GDP real E.U. budget not that tiny less than 0.9% of GDP ) without taking risk to disrupt the whole Eurozone apart which is clearly a price too high .

  184. avatar
    Kyriacos

    Greece is Europe. Whatever change it brings is most likely right for Europe, though not visible to all of us at present.

  185. avatar
    Dimitris Stamiris

    We don’t care !!!!
    As long we know “the plan” we don’t care !!!
    We only care about eu future if we go out …. It will fall down !!!!!

    Also if Germans give the money they MUST pay in Greece than we will have money to give a loan to any country !!!!!!

    – 360 billions are from 2d war
    – 1,5 billions is from companies who “forget” to pay taxes in Greece !
    – the big scandal of Siemens is more than 10 billions
    – the gold they take from Greece ??
    – the money they make from high interest to Greece ???

    DONT FORGET …. We don’t !!!!!!!

  186. avatar
    Francesco Totino

    the Greek Alexis Tsipras and Yanis Varoufakis economic and social policy will be successfull if the Greek huge debt could be renegotiated with the EU from one side and from the other side Greece would be able to realize a revolutionary restructuration of both the Political and the Public Administration system .. as we have suggested several times … but also in this second point it is important the EU , BCE , IMF and all worldwide financial Institutions demonstrate to be able to restructure their financial system .. blocking tax evasion , fiscal havens and most of the speculative finance … Greece alone as well as Italy cannot do much ..remember !!http://economicsandpolicy.blogspot.it/2013/03/what-europe-should-do.html

  187. avatar
    Stella Kontogianni

    I wonder if countries who have done reforms really improve. Are those countries in better condition? Probably they will make further reforms but how people will react to them.

  188. avatar
    Ed Cocks

    Nah, just let them pull the EU/EZ apart as they slide down the drain. Maybe the next generation can learn the lesson…..

  189. avatar
    Gerry Mavrie-Yanaki

    No, Greece should not leave the Eurozone. The Eurozone is the best ramming rod to bring down the Closed and protectionist Greek Economy , that has impoverished so many Greeks and forced 10 million Greeks to live in Exile. Greece needs structural and economic reforms with privatizations and deregulation to create a favorable investment environment climate that will create new jobs via the opening up of the Greek economy. The solution to a quick turn-around for the Greek economy is MT OLYMPUS VENTURES. For that to happen all of the above need to be implemented as the Eurozone is recommending that the Greek government to do – https://twitter.com/olympus42

  190. avatar
    Micky

    What about a complementary currency?

  191. avatar
    Nando Aidos

    No. But let us be honest. The mess that Greece finds itself in was created by the previous governments who, it all seems, were friends with the EU. And with those governments who left the country’s economy in a mess, I doubt (prove me wrong) Greece would have not been able to repay or probably make this €300M payment.
    Now a new government who is not to the EUs liking (why? ) the EU is now all up in arms as to Greece’s incapability to repay. Why is it NOW such a surprise? Why was Greece not pressed before the new government? Why is it such a big issue now? Just because Greece decided to vote against the thieves and the corrupt? Is that why?

  192. avatar
    Vinko Rajic

    NO ! They should allow EU police to investigate their corruption . They should destroy their corruption and crime otherwise in just 15 Years time situation is going to be similar . Greeks can’t pay back , all should accept that. Their dept is 175.1% of GDP (2013) , that is imposible to pay back .
    Corruption and crime : Problem , you should understand Greeks ! You borrow money to corrupt country like Greece or Croatia and those money just disperse . The only thing that is left is a huge debt to poor folk . Poor folk is than just a slave to the banks but rich-corrupt people send money to secret accounts in Switzerland and other countries. Than you have problem that poor people are very angry just because they have to pay back a huge amount of cash and they have to spend life in poverty . EU should help corrupt countries in their fight against corruption and tax evasion , how much in tax has been collected from example Apple and Google in Greece = 0.00 $ . European System of Central Banks should write off debts , arrest gangsters and help poor countries to become free of slavery . http://www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results

    BBC – tax evasion : Mr Henry said his $21tn is actually a conservative figure and the true scale could be $32tn. A trillion is 1,000 billion.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18944097

    Greek cash is in Swiss banks . The Tax Justice Network has said that there are over €20 billion in Swiss bank accounts held by Greeks. The former Finance Minister of Greece, Evangelos Venizelos, was quoted as saying “Around 15,000 individuals and companies owe the taxman 37 billion euros”. A study by researchers from the University of Chicago concluded that tax evasion in 2009 by self-employed professionals alone in Greece (accountants, dentists, lawyers, doctors, personal tutors and independent financial advisers) was €28 billion or 31% of the budget deficit that year. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Greece#Tax_evasion

  193. avatar
    Myron Kanakis

    why dont you make a gallop ,you idiot fascists burreaucrats of e.u to see who do like your fucking currency?Or ask,if germany should leave the eurozone.You fascists!

  194. avatar
    Yannick Cornet

    Is post-neoliberalism finally at our door, and is that good? I guess it depends what we – and the Greek – make of it. Although post or not, either way corruption and tax evasion (small and large) must be tackled. Greece could learn from more lean and clean Nordic countries.

  195. avatar
    Matina Koumerta

    Greece needs nobody!!! Greece is the richiest coyntry in the world!!!!!!!!!! Go home eu!!!!!!!!!!!

  196. avatar
    Tani Tanito

    This admin sounds like anti-european everytime i read his statuses.
    Europe is in Europe and is European despite some poor countries which are left there in mercy from some super powerful countries.
    Who are they to decide for another country wether to enter EU or not?
    I mean ,them have been in Europe for like……..forever

  197. avatar
    Bruno Verlinden

    No. They just have to say that they do not have the money to pay back the debt. Sorry, perhaps in 10 years or so we will look at it again, but today we stop paying. It is just money owed to banks and financial institutions and greece will overcome. If europe wants to kick them out that would be their responsibility.

  198. avatar
    Κλειώ Πετρίδου

    The best but also an utopic scenario would be Greece stop paying the debt without leaving Eurozone ,because Europe needs stability. Greece is not a burden and the people of this country pays more than he can afford. So where is the real money going? Rebuild Eurozone and make it reflect all the ideals and the values that once reflected .

  199. avatar
    Eva Benko Zoltan

    We should all leave the Eurozone. We have been cheated with the austerty and the the banks ,that gave money to themseves and we are paying it.

  200. avatar
    Eva Benko Zoltan

    IIt’s Gerany that should leave in peace the Europeans, the Ukranians, ans the Moldavian republic.Children and adults in the union are passing hunger they are jobless and austered, menwhile the greedy rich want to gtrab more teritories.

  201. avatar
    Manxblade

    A European union what a joke. a union means united so all the euro country’s should share the debt or Greece should leave and the sooner the better.

  202. avatar
    Lena yurpalova

    All European countries should leave and be independent as before.
    Europe is suffering economically. Everybody talking about poor Greece, well what about Cyprus, Spain, Italy. Most of Europe are suffering.
    Greece should leave Europe right now. And soon other countries will follow suit.

  203. avatar
    Stella Kontogianni

    Yes it is time to leave. Here we dont belong, being bleeding so long. Uncertain as we are for the outcome we are just killing time.

  204. avatar
    Mário Lobo

    yes they should
    we need russian and/or chinese submarines in the Mediterranean
    O:)

  205. avatar
    Ilyass Naqar

    I don’t know how we can talk about a union, if we don’t find solidarity between countries of this union.

  206. avatar
    Joey Stack

    Yes they should; one of the best ways of getting out of a financial mess is to have your own single currency; it enables you to set your own prices for products and services again and get the lines of trade moving comfortably, therefore the economy will begin to improve; it will also enable the banks to set new exchange rates against the other world currencies, and with how badly the euro is now doing, setting your own currency against it, you’ll always be at an advantage. The drachma would be in a far better position than the euro currently is…

  207. avatar
    George Bekatoros

    No Greece should not leave the Eurozone! Troika needs to propose a sustainable growth plan for Greece & Alexis Tsipras needs to get serious, to Grow up & to propose & implement structural reforms in Greece, the liberalization of the economy & less state intervention. Both sides Troika & Tsipras Need to behave as adults!

  208. avatar
    Stefan Argos

    (Y) The United States took position in favor of Greece! In a very important statement proceeded today the American MOF Jack Liu taking place essentially in favor of Greece in the most sensitive point of the negotiations.

    The Minister of Finance of the United States of America said that “the debt should be part of negotiations”, adding “the global economy does not need a shock now.”

    It is the first time that the US officially accepted that a restructuring, or “haircut” debt should be part of the overall solution of the problem. http://www.athensmagazine.gr/portal/politikiellada/190813

  209. avatar
    Maria Helena Neto

    No, Greece must not leave Europe! The unstitutions must not blackmail the greeks. They are going in a dandegerous way to break down the Europe of the peoples.

  210. avatar
    Gerry Mavrie-Yanaki

    Why did the Coalition Government reject the Eurozone’s offer of €15 billion in a immediate Development Package for Greece, which could ignite more than €120 billion in economic growth with reforms in the Greek economy , to come into immediate effect on July1 ???? The French State Model does not operate effectively in Greece. Vote NO to the French State Model in Greece which has being in place for the past 40 years and is the cause of the Greek State bankruptcy. The French State Model only works for France. Not in Greece. A Vote Yes for the Euro which will bring more than €120 billion in economic growth in Greece.

  211. avatar
    nando

    I find the EU has lost its bearings and cannot make heads or tails out of its vision, mission and objectives (are there still any left?).
    On the one hand there is this question – “should Greece leave the EU?”
    On the other hand there is this other question – “is a new iron-curtain descending upon the EU?”
    I am assuming, with great sadness, that the politicians and the finance ministers behind this whole Greece mess, do not see any connection between the two issues. Am I wrong?

  212. avatar
    Nando Aidos

    I find the EU has lost its bearings and cannot make heads or tails out of its vision, mission and objectives (are there still any left?).
    On the one hand there is this question – “should Greece leave the EU?”
    On the other hand there is this other question – “is a new iron-curtain descending upon the EU?”
    I am assuming, with great sadness, that the politicians and the finance ministers behind this whole Greece mess, do not see any connection between the two issues. Am I wrong?
    I do sincerely hope so! But I am not sure.

  213. avatar
    Sebastien Chopin

    its not really a debate is it? otherwise they wouldn’t have been trying so hard to find a solution, and neither would the others…

  214. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    .

    It will be the beginning of the end of the EU so yes they should leave, and as quickly as possible.

  215. avatar
    Yanna Spetseri Kafkala

    Ι’m sorry but we are on our way out . These are the results of EU ‘s cruelty and austerity. We’ve been bleeding 6 years now and ALL politicians , here and the rest of Europe have just been playig power games

  216. avatar
    Ferenc Lázár

    Yes, they will be better with going back to drachma and their relaxing working style…siesta, siesta, siestas…:-)

    • avatar
      Chryssa Antoniou

      Do you really think so? Relaxing working? You have no idea my friend… and i feel so sorry for that! Our youth citizens can’t find work at all and we are trying very hard to survive in very bad contitions. Shame on you my friend! Go back and live your own happy dream… What a pitty…

  217. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    It will be the beginning of the end of the antidemocratic EU so yes they should leave as quickly as possible.

  218. avatar
    Arlete Abano

    Se forem espertos saem do euro e cee,segundo Krugman so iriam ter problemas numa primeira fase e faziam um grande favor,rebentavam c o euro e os agiotas…

  219. avatar
    Gerry Mavrie-Yanaki

    No, No No , Greece must stay in the Eurozone. Why did the Coalition Government reject the Eurozone’s offer of €15 billion in a immediate Development Package for Greece, which could ignite more than €120 billion in economic growth with reforms in the Greek economy , to come into immediate effect on July1 ???? The French State Model does not operate effectively in Greece. Vote NO to the French State Model in Greece which has being in place for the past 40 years and is the cause of the Greek State bankruptcy. The French State Model only works for France. Not Greece. Vote Yes for the Euro which will bring more than €120 billion in economic growth in Greece.

  220. avatar
    Joao Antonio Camoes

    No. If Greece leaves that’s the end of the spirit. Gongrats to the actual leaders and dominant leadership; the last 20 years they completly destroyed a dream of an united, peaceful Europe.

  221. avatar
    Thomas Hou

    Of course not, but the banking system should be more controlled in the Eurozone

  222. avatar
    Luis Raposo

    We are seeing here the arrogance of countries that have a minimum wage three to four times higher than a Greek, and asking that Greece should leave Europe, and this is the fault not of the European community, but of all Europeans, as concrete as it exemplifies such a state, it is Germany who made millions with Greece, while trying to strangle Greece. It is beautiful :-)

  223. avatar
    Μάριος Γεωργίου

    it is a controversial topic. on the one hand Greece has to remain in the eurozone. A bankruptcy will destroy completely Greece’s economy. People will not have even a little food. The same time Turkey has other problems. It doesn’t have a government…so perhaps it will try to export its own crisis in Greece….. ;) On the other hand Troika and all lenders generally recommend an inhuman proposal to Greek people…Simultaneously in the memorandum is written clearly that Greece gives up its own national sovereignty.

  224. avatar
    Dimitrios Moschos

    No, Greece is staying in Europe. If Tsipras gave unattainable promises, it’s his fault, the Greeks shouldn’t pay for his stupidity.

  225. avatar
    Dimitris Stamiris

    LISTEN THIS :

    YOU CAN STAY LIKE A GOOD DOG AND SAY “YES” TO YOUR BIG BOSS (Germany) ……. WE SAY ENOUGH !!!!! AND IF WE GO OUT OF EUROZONE WAIT FOR YOUR TURN SOON !!!!!!!

    WEN YOU LOSE EVERYTHING YOU DONT CARE ABOUT THE REST !!!!!!

    wen the dog is at corner have nothing else to do but fight !!!!!

    Also wen Leonidas (300) start a fight the only think was in his mind was the COME WITH YOUR SEAL OR ON IT !!!!!!!!!!

    Μιχαλης Μιχαηλιδης Χριστινα Πετρενιτη , Radek Otta Xristina Skandalari Aggela Stamiri

  226. avatar
    Gabe Freire

    No. It’d be costly for Greece and it’d be costly for the EU.
    Greece is in a tight spot right now but that doesn’t mean the end of Europe

  227. avatar
    Ioannis Koutoudis

    Can REALLY a country’s economy be left out from the Global Economy?
    Can it REALLY be a solution?
    Let Greece out.
    Let the false Global Financial System lose its scapegoat.
    Then the real problem will come to the surface, and nations will might pressure for a real solution for their own benefit, not for those centers (people and multinational companices) who gather global wealth in bank accounts.

  228. avatar
    Lidia Domondi

    They would be better without EU but they wouldn’t ever be allowed to as others would follow

  229. avatar
    Pavlos Papathanasiou

    Here comes Debating Europe with a 1000times repeated and provocative question! I am so sorry for that! And I am even more sorry for your article : (Greece) effectively deciding whether or not Greece leaves the eurozone! Ok before pretend to be experts of the European Union can you show me JUST ONE PROVISION of all European Law texts that enables the exit from Eurozone unless if it is the coutry’s will??? JUST ONE please! Stop with this populist propaganda that unfortunately is in accordance with some of the most rubbish media like Bild! We are deciding whether we will accept more austerity or not! We are deciding whether we want our Democracy to be raped by some financial interests driven bureaucrats in Brussels or not! If you had read the founding principles of EEC by Jean Monnet and Schuman, you would knew that Europe should mean: “Democracy-Solidarity-Co-operation”…where are all these principles right now? And the hypocrisy continues because you “forget” to mention that EEC was founded in the 50s so as to prevent a new WWar in Europe and instead promote co-operation and peace! And as matter of fact the huge debts of Germany were forgiven after WWII, debts from reparations, armaments etc. From a regime that brought unthinkable suffer, pain and blood to Europe and the World! On other hand Greece never disturbed anyone and you want to “show off” your hypocritic values on a country which at the end of the day is the cruddle of Democracy! Stop these cruel blackmailings and the ultimatums!

  230. avatar
    Antonio Santos

    yes, they should leave the eurozone. Now we know we can not trust the greek. This was a plan from the syriza. they whant to exit the ue, without paying anything. After they put the guilt to europe and they try to pass the idea that europe is no longer democratic and solidaire, they spit on the hand of the europeans leaders who tryed to achieve a agreeement good for all of us. This could be a plan of extremist parties, from extreme left to extreme right to desintegrate the UE and the eurozone. the greeks are churching alies that are interested that eurpoe goes down, like mr putin

  231. avatar
    Manolis Chliveros

    ΕUROPIAN UNION HAS ALLREADY KILLED 8.000 PEOPLE OF MY COUNTRY.3 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE IN HELLAS .WE ARE COUNTRY OF EUROPE AND ALLREADY GERMANY FRANCE AND OTHER COUNTRYS EARNED A LOT OF MONEY FROM OUR CHRISIS.YOU DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY ALL OF YOU TO MURDER US.WE TAUGHT YOU DEMOCRASY SO NOW IT IS TIME FOR US TO DESIDE WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR FUTURE!!!!!

  232. avatar
    Γιώργος Εμμανουήλ

    No it shouldnt. It must be solidarity among the eurozone members and not blackmails. If Greece will be forced to leave Eurozone something essential will be lost of our dream for a united and integrated Europe. The main responsibility for keeping the entity of EU is on the hands of the people in power. The history will be very severe towards the leaders of current EU institutions

  233. avatar
    Jacob JJacob Marris

    The wright question should be: Should Greece leave the Germanized Eurozone? Hell yes! The Eurozone as it should be? Hell no!

  234. avatar
    Tuija Mustonen

    I heard of extra gardeners hired by eu money, double amounts of people hired to this and that, and how is the Greek pension system? Is it true they even get bonus for things that elsewhere are considered as default, like arriving to work in time? That kind of attitude is not and was not from german banks. Only the money was.

  235. avatar
    Tuija Mustonen

    So i do not know. Do they want to be like that, or do they want to get productive for common good, not just privately, at all.

  236. avatar
    Rick Wilmot

    No, we must achieve a Social Democratic United States of Europe run by the people not the banks and corporations!

  237. avatar
    Jacek Wiscicki

    Let Greece and its citizens do what is best for their country. If they are better off on their own let’s them leave centralized European Union. EU must adopt fundamental reforms in order to survive.

  238. avatar
    Harris Manteniotes

    we want to stay in Eyrope and the euro currency, but first we must fight corruption…political parties, interested only for their interests, and the elite business families in Greece are to blame…

  239. avatar
    Harris Manteniotes

    + all the previous governments are to blame, because in their knowledge, they were giving benefits to their party followers with borrowed money…

  240. avatar
    Ralf Grahn

    Since the government campaigns for a no in the surprise referendum, Greece has already left and defaulted in practice.

  241. avatar
    marco tipaldi

    The question is wrong. the right question should be “should Greek people accept the dictatorship of Big banks which speak through European Institutions? Should they accept to keep making the interests of foreign banks killing their country? Should they accept an ultimatum willing just the humiliation of all their people?”
    the answer is Not! this is the failure of EU values! EU should defend its citizens, not its banks. Greece and Tsipras are giving a big lesson of Democracy to all Europe!

  242. avatar
    Ana Maria Farinha

    Valentes gregos!!!!!!!!!!!!! Impuseram-lhes a crise e agora querem matá-los à fome? But who’s BRUXELAS???? What are their names????? Great greeks!!

  243. avatar
    Alexis Peter Ginis

    First of all, that question itself is propaganda. Secondly, Eurozone was a very good idea when it started, but it came out to be a playground for rich countries (Germany, UK, etc.). The real question though is, should the Eurozone even exist?

  244. avatar
    Theoni Kapeta

    The question is What has the Euro Zone doing about the influx of immigrants to Greece and Italy? What has the Euro Zone done about the People’s right to a job, health system, etc etc etc. NOTHING. Please just let us go. We may starve for a while but Hey you know what, I prefer to starve than to look at the faces of Merkel and Sobel again. They wanted our blood to drink. They thought they could get away with once again trying to rule over Europe. In 1940 we said NO to allowing German-Slovakian take over of the world army to enter Greece so that they can go to Turkey and so on. Well they had a hard time trying to fight the Greek people. It cost them time and in the end their dream of being superior. Check mate. Once again .

  245. avatar
    Weronika Natkaniec

    No never we are United and strong – In varietate concordia – remember! Together we are strong, alone we will die. God bless Greece!

  246. avatar
    Vasili Isam

    The question is wether the eurozone will continue to exist after a potential Grexit.You cannot apply financial policies as if you represent a military regime.We are supposed to be partners for the european intergration.

  247. avatar
    Ric Munaz

    No. EU is nothing without the country who invented politics, democracy and the word EUROPA it self. Stop to an EU made only of counts, money and stringency.

  248. avatar
    Andreas

    Yes! This isn’t european union of solidarity and democracy and we have no cultural bonds with the slavs of the north!

  249. avatar
    Dimitris Stamiris

    WE DONT CARE !!!!!!!
    WE DINT CARE AS LONG YOU DONT RESPECT US !!!!!!

    NOW THE SHIT HIT THE FAN !!!!!!!!!!!!

  250. avatar
    Yanis Sarto

    I hope Greece will stay. I also hope this current greek administration leaves the soonest possible

  251. avatar
    Vagelis Sar

    European Union became a nazi monetary Union of banks. The same banking system that funded Hitler is ruining the Europe of the human values. The corrupted politicians, Yunker of the luxleaks, and others that promote only the interests of the banks and big corps are the threat to the Europeans, we dont want poor citizens all over Europe, nazi companions like ukranian goverment, and victims of petrol wars sinking in the Mediterranean. If E.E. won’t change we better leave this nazi monetary union

  252. avatar
    Steven Shanley

    Greece should do what is best for them, the people are suffering under the E. U. rules, where is the compassion and empathy on these pages? We know we need to pay debts but some tolerance please

  253. avatar
    António Rodrigues

    A diferent way of writing the very same question:
    Should Eurozone, EU and CBE adopt policies focused on democracy, economic growth and redistribution?

  254. avatar
    Christopher Skoufadis

    EU policies have to be redesigned by means of an anthropocentric character. New world order and capitalism have lead the whole world to a dead end. Cut global debt now!

  255. avatar
    Matina Koumerta

    Greece is rich country..we have water..sun..islands..food and everything we need to live always…Greece belong to Greeks only!!! We are not slaves..we are masters!!!!!!!!!!!

  256. avatar
    vaso

    It’s not all about Greece but for the all European countries. It has proven through the years that euro has affected all the countries in the negative way except Germany. Despite that Greece has nothing else to lose as there is no dignity left, no job oppotunities and no future for the young people. So, whatever the outcome from the referendum is, it would be the same for greek people as they have nothing else to lose except euro. At least we will say no after five years of austerity and measures that the istitutions force us to make.

  257. avatar
    Nicos Ktori

    Fuck EU and the German NAZIS, Greece das not need them they will survive. Look what they did with Cyprus, they stolen people’s money out of the bank in the middle of the night.

  258. avatar
    André Rodrigues

    they had the courage to follow a different path, they still wanna pay the debt but in different terms, why the EU responsables cant give a chance? We are and always be humans, lets not see each other as numbers.Because other countries decided to enter a blackhole, this should be the norm? As long as i know we have options, not decorative options…as for the question, its not the 1st time that i see it, and its the appropriate question.

  259. avatar
    Giannis-John Alexopoulos

    One more think.
    If greece colapse as an economy and as a comunity all those immigrants will go to Germany, uk, Belgium etc.
    Would you like this to happen?

  260. avatar
    Marek Richert

    If Grece leve eurozone, probably first country in Europe in XXI c., wich will be colonized by muslim. Albania, Bośnia and Hercegowina, and Grece bocomes strategic place for Islamic State.
    If Europe dont want Grece, then IS take it like Russia take Krym.

  261. avatar
    Suzie Szabo Newbury

    At least he is giving the Greek people the power to decide on their future. Good luck to Greece. I hope they get out of the EU and we follow.

  262. avatar
    Povil Ka

    #Greece – understand one thing: you are in good neighbourhood. And you are in debt. You partied hard for a while – now it’s time to pay.

    You GDP (country “salary”) does not “meet” the level of spending you are currently at.

    As per Zygimantas Zabieta

    #GREXIT

    Let’s put it in a perspective. Greece owns EU around 280bn euro of total 320bn euro national debt.

    Some numbers:
    GDP per capita (PPP): Greece 25800USD; Lithuania 27000USD
    Average salary: Greece 820EUR; Lithuania 550EUR
    Minimum wage: Greece 680EUR; Lithuania 325EUR
    Average pension: Greece 700EUR; Lithuania 250EUR
    Public debt: Greece 320bn EUR; Lithuania 14bn EUR

    Basically, this mean one thing: start saving.
    Payday loan from IMF or other bank will not save you, unless you change your attitude and behaviour.

    Your poppulist government are idiots, who does not know, what they are doing… Like bunch of monkeys with grenades. Stop that !

  263. avatar
    Gregory Cornwell

    What get son my nerves is that nobody from PASOK or other government people (Goldman, etc..) from the early 2000s will face prosecution for having brought Greece to its knees… It is plain obvious the country needs to make cuts and cannot keep living it large when the rest of Europe has already increased retirement age and cut on welfare. Obviously it hurts to know we will not, cannot, live like our parents did and will need to work more, harder and for less… Tough luck, it applies to all around Europe, it is time for Greece to realize that.
    Compare how Ireland went about using the bailout and Greece.

  264. avatar
    Zygimantas Zabieta

    Greece is in position when the bank asks you to pay your loan to bank – you arrange a voting in your family asking your children to pay or not to pay the loan.

  265. avatar
    Manxblade

    Germany try to rule Europe again and again they fail. Greece leave and good luck to you. England not in the euro and doing well so why can’t Greece

  266. avatar
    Diony Klavdi

    Minimum wage is not 680. It is 510 gross (400 net). Average rent is at 450, food costs and utilities at 300…

  267. avatar
    Heather Walker

    YES GET OUT FROM THE EU THEY ARE HELL BENT ON EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES DEMISE SO THAT THEY WILL CONTROL THE WHOLE OF EUROPE.GET OUT GREECE TAKE YOUR FREEDOM BACK.

  268. avatar
    Colin Brocklesby

    Please greece lead the way . Please set an example . Our guttless lot wont make that decision .please greece get out of the E.U.now and others will follow you .Once we are all free of the hold of the E.U . We can trade together without having to pay the E.U. millions of pounds to do so . Please greece get out of the E.U . Believe me when i say the people of great britain are behind you , and if the truth be known the people of all the E.U. countries want out out out .

  269. avatar
    Ikechukwu Anyanwu

    Germany economy grew from the goods and services sold to Greece and peripheral countries. To blame the problem in Greece on Greek is ludicrous
    To push Greece out of eurozone would be the biggest geopolitical blunder committed by the west
    I could see a Russian military base in Greece

    • avatar
      Tressa

      Well said!

  270. avatar
    Chris Alexander Zervas

    If one country becomes a must-2-go member, this is New Germany with its Obsessions ( at least from some MPs of their coalition Government)… Check it !!!

  271. avatar
    Serge Lauer

    The danger is that The Eurozone will slowly dissolving itself if Greece must “must” leave . Better to stay in with a light fiscal Union. All others tries will lead to unpredictable disaster outcome for the whole Eurozone.

  272. avatar
    Sophia DiDi

    Fake pictures from the banks . Look closely some of the pictures people wearing jackets.they trying to overthrow the government. That’s the purpose.terrorize people in Greece with every way.Come together collectively!

  273. avatar
    Sophia DiDi

    We stay Europe unless Germany want to lose 6,5 billion euros from us. Opel, Scoda , Mercentes Telecommunications……130 German business in Greek Ground. Be careful what you wish Germany…..

  274. avatar
    Muscas Anne

    How can Greece leave ,Greece was and is Europe, all started from this country, which is responsible for the birth and name of Europe.

  275. avatar
    Mafig

    Greece is important for the EU and the Euro, even with problems.

  276. avatar
    Zina Tasiopoulou

    To answer the question we should ask firstly ourselves: What kind of Europe are we dreaming of? What kind of Europe do we want? Because I see that this Union is not promoting equality,democracy and solidarity….From the 28 EQUAL member states, we watch only Ms.Merkel and M.Hollande deciding on the fate of numerous people….Where are all the other heads of the states? WHO gave the authority to these two people to say who can stay or leave the eurozone? This EU is all about stronger countries imposing their power to the weeker ones, something very far from what we were visioning….A European Union where all the values are forgotten….a total failure!!!

  277. avatar
    Dimitris Stamiris

    DEBT IN DOLLARS
    louxenburg 1.994.000.000.000
    holland 3.733.000.000.000
    England 9.088.000.000.000
    belgium 1.354.000.000.000
    austria 808.000.000.000
    france 5.021.000.000.000
    german 5.028.000.000.000
    GREECE 552.000.000.000

    BUT YOU HEAR ONLY ABOUT GREECE !!!!!!!!!

    – now with our <<<<>>>
    – we will give you the real freedom because now you think you are free
    – we will show you the truth about this 3d (economic) war
    – we will show you who you trust
    – we will show you that this EU you think is good , the real face is EUROPEAN COUNTRIES OF GERMANY

    Think
    – that they show you anything they want because the tv , radio and news papers work for them thats why they are still working in crisis
    – that in your country all german factories and shops work fine because they dont pay taxes (but you pay)

  278. avatar
    Nuno Ramos

    Tides turn, 30 years ago gay people across the world were dying and hiding, today the rainbow colors America
    This to shall pass

  279. avatar
    Nikolaos Sotirelis

    6 years now Greece has been bullied and forced to apply a “bailout” program which was a complete failure, while in fact, they were bailing out german-french banks.
    The previous corrupt governments were easy to be blackmailed and to apply two disaster memorandums.
    The last government was trying to negotiate, a honourable and dignified agreement to end impoverishment and to make the unfair debt at least sustainable.
    For 5 months the “lenders” were raising their limits, when the Greek government was approaching their unreasonable demands.
    Finally frau Merkel, after 5 months of shameful mockery, practical demanded an unconditional surrender of the country.
    “Accept this extraordinarily generous offer” she said, mocking a whole nation, while mr Tusk, another unworthy officer was declaring “The game is over”, like it was about virtual lifes!!!
    Well madam if this is your final offer, we have an even more generous offer for you… with all my respect… if you know what I mean! ;)

  280. avatar
    Fátima Pio

    That’s their own decision. In my home i’m the leader, i decide if i prefer to buy milk and bread or pay the bank, so, they should be allowed to decide their own way. The same as us (Portugal, Spain, Italy…and so on). If i remember they never said that they wouldn’t pay, they just wont to decide where to get the money for it! So if they decide to abandon this rotten europe, i just say, clap, clap, clap. This wasn’t the model, or dream in the beginning, now we just have a very smart group of people that fights for their own interests. This isn’t a model for the future, so change it or live us alone, we are the poors with a lots of sun and ocean. If the greeks decide to jump out, i maybe move there

  281. avatar
    ΜΙ ΚΟ

    We don’t want this EU.We don’t need this EU. We want our freedom we want to decide for our lifes we want democracy not “merkelecy”. wake up people…. I have a dream and is the real EUROPE the EUROPE FOR THE PEOPLE not for the banks and companies.We are Europe……..

  282. avatar
    Nelly varzabetian

    yes greece and also other countries should leave te eurozone

  283. avatar
    Its Free From Greece to Humanity for Ever

    Τσίπρας: Δημοψήφισμα= πραγματική πτώχευση και κατάρρευση τραπεζών

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=n5VwmAoMIV8&app=desktop

    Πρέπει η Κυβέρνηση να δώσει υπεύθυνα εγκαιρα και έγκυρα το κείμενο με βάσει το οποίο οδηγήθηκε στην απόφασή της για δημοψήφισμα. Ο κόσμος θέλει πια αλήθειες, έντιμες θέσεις, και όχι απλά δημοσιεύματα “κύ κλων, αξιωματούχων, στελεχών και … ανώτερων στελεχών” . Επειδή θα αποφασίσω για το μέλλον των παιδιών μου και το δικό μου ΘΕΛΩ ΝΑ ΜΑΘΩ ΤΟ ΑΛΗΘΙΝΟ ΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ !!!

    Oι πολιτες γιατι δεν εχουν γνωση των προτασεων των θεσμων ????

  284. avatar
    Chris Mantas

    Overtaxation dictated from EU killed the Greek economy. NOW they want to double taxes on tourism and shipping, Greece’s most important sector. Its obvious that the lunatics are in Europe

  285. avatar
    Stefanos Pimenidis

    Syriza proved to be a bunch of dangerous amateurs paleocommunists who know nothing about economy and contemporary administration.Tsipras is ignorant and he MUST GO!(he should be sent to court)in order Greece to survive…

  286. avatar
    pagona

    Greece is a vital part of European Union. But leaving the Euro as a currency, doesn’t mean leaving the EU. Only 19 out of 28 countries have adopted Euro. In times of financial problems and depth crisis, as nowdays in Greece, and after an “IMF solution” has unsuccesfully followed, leaving the Eurozone should be a potential solution…… This could be a “reboot” for the Greek economy and a helpful possibility for the agricultural production and the tourism, which are 2 very important sectors for our growth!

    • avatar
      Yvetta

      Hi Pagona, the countries that have not joined the Eurozone have not joined YET. If Greece leaves the Eurozone the expectation is that it will leave the EU as well. Not sure if that has been made clear to the Greek electorate. Usually there is a discrepancy between what is said in Greece and what is known in Brussels.

  287. avatar
    Tsampouris Giorgos

    the main subject about the referendum is if we want first the rules of democracy in Europe and then economy or we want first the rules of economy and then demoracy…

    • avatar
      Yvetta

      Hi Giorgos, if representative democracy did indeed work in Greece, it would be the Prime Minister’s job to make a decision as to whether to go for the proposed bail-out or not. In a modern democracy in a country of 10mil you cannot put up everything to a referendum and wait 2-3 months for the outcome. The timing of the Greek referendum means that the deadline for paying up is missed, so clearly this is a defeat before it even happens. Another point to note, if there had been actual democracy in Greece there would not have been so much corruption, tax-evasion etc…and the country would simply not be where it is. So, please, spare us such talk…Just out of curiosity, what is the alternative to accepting the bail-out that Mr Tsipras has offered? Has he offered guarantees that things are going to be better? Is Greece going to join the Russian Federation or the Arab League after it leaves the EU, any other third-world organisations? Please, let me know. I can’t wait to hear back from you.

  288. avatar
    Monika Manouka

    DEBT IN DOLLARS
    louxenburg 1.994.000.000.000
    holland 3.733.000.000.000
    England 9.088.000.000.000
    belgium 1.354.000.000.000
    austria 808.000.000.000
    france 5.021.000.000.000
    german 5.028.000.000.000
    GREECE 552.000.000.000

    BUT YOU HEAR ONLY ABOUT GREECE !!!!!!!!!

    – now with our <<<<>>>
    – we will give you the real freedom because now you think you are free
    – we will show you the truth about this 3d (economic) war
    – we will show you who you trust
    – we will show you that this EU you think is good , the real face is EUROPEAN COUNTRIES OF GERMANY

    Think
    – that they show you anything they want because the tv , radio and news papers work for them thats why they are still working in crisis
    – that in your country all german factories and shops work fine because they dont pay taxes (but you pay)

    • avatar
      Yvetta

      Hi Monika, Greece has the biggest debt per GDP. What this means is that other countries may have a bigger debt in money but they also produce a lot more and that is why money lenders believe that those countries can sustain these debts. Greece on the other hand does not produce as much and the lenders believe that it is not able to cover that debt. This is why they are not prepared to lend Greece money at a low rate. That is why Greece has had to apply to the IMF and other countries for a loan at a better rate. With the political situation in Greece being so unstable the markets would lose even further faith in the Greek state’s ability to repay its own debts and therefore would be even less willing to lend it any money. So Greece with Tsipras finds itself in a lot worse situation to what it was before. Psychological factors affect the financial system a lot. It has been useful though to see your post because it shows the poor understanding that the Greek public have of the situation but also how they are being manipulated by politicians that will not admit that their own actions have got the country where it is and charge the people emotionally against the people/organisations that have been trying to help.

  289. avatar
    Monika Manouka

    But Greece is EU they have to learn from Greece, and they have to respect other Contries, also Europa is Rumänien Bulgarien Island usw.not only the big and strong one

  290. avatar
    Vladimir Bulić

    Greece shold leave the Eurozone and EU, its not working for them… German capitalists have to be stoped…

  291. avatar
    Janusz Martynek

    Alexis Tsiprás by měl odstoupit od vlády z Řecká a nést následky .Výzva i Česko to je výzva.A PASOK mělo pravdu ven až řeckou zůstává v eurozóna.

  292. avatar
    Torrentino

    We are the Europe. Nobody can throw us out of our home.

  293. avatar
    Myron Kanakis

    I m wondering after reading all the comments and the replies if anybody in e.u is reading our opinions ,if that matters?Cause the 70% of the comments are against the bankers and with Greece.It is more than obvious that Europe needs a new deal ,isnt it?

  294. avatar
    Myron Kanakis

    Those who have done the following in Greece during the German occupation
    13 327 war dead
    56.225 executed
    105,000 hostages who died in the camps
    7120 by bombing
    20 650 in the battles of National Resistance
    1,100 allies
    3,500 Merchant Navy
    600,000 from hunger
    300,000 of the low birth rate.
    Also, 400,000 houses were burned and ashes were 1770 villages and cities
    While today with our memoranda created a coup humanitarian crisis with recipes and methods erroneously instead fired to reduce the debt and the following:
    They sent migrants almost all the young scientific potential of the country
    Closed more than 150,000 businesses
    Unemployed over 3,000,000
    Suicide over 8,000 people
    Homeless reason Memorandum of over 17,700
    Soup kitchens disadvantaged in all what Greek cities
    Social grocery stores everywhere
    They did not pay their debts NEVER and occupation loan and asking us to die again to pay their debts imposed on us with underwater drooping, with equipment that is not working with airports that do not pay what they owe, with communication systems that do not work (see Siemens) etc etc
    They do not ask repay them with fair, human and democratic manner but were killed by methods, inhuman and degrading. This behavior is the democratic way and Solidarity advocated by Germany and Europe today?
    The Greece exceeded its long history of conquerors such as the Persians, Romans, Crusaders (European), Turks, Italians and Germans and standing on her feet still, will not bend today unscrupulous Europeans and the West in general because there is the “Greece never dies

  295. avatar
    George Bekatoros

    The Debate has become really interesting. Many argue that Greece should Exit the Eurozone. They argue that because Greece’s debt is unsustainable. However, they purposefully forget that this unsustainable debt is largely the result & the doing of German Unethical Corporations such as Siemens. I am not arguing that all German Corporations operate in an unethical and to a large extent bellow the line of legality, but that certain German Corporations have done that in the past and continue to do that. After all the Siemens Scandal in Greece was revealed after US law firms and US authorities discovered Siemens’s wrong doing and unethical conduct in the US and in various other countries. In addition I would like to draw the attention to all these people who batter Greece to the following issue: Do you believe that the EU should further integrate and unify leading to a future European Federal State or you merely regard and want the EU to remain a European Free Trade Zone? If you are proponents of the latter then you are not proponents, advocates or supporters of European Integration, European Solidarity or a Federal Europe but instead supporters of David Cameron’s “European” vision which advocates in favour of a Europe of Nations instead. Regardless however what kind of a Europe you advocate, since I believe that most people who participate in this discussion are not General Managers of Siemens or of any other corporation that has been accused of non transparent or even of unethical conduct and of corruption, I think you would agree that Troika should at least agree to write off that portion of the Greek debt that was created as a consequence of Siemens’ or other unethical corporation’s conduct in Greece. That would be the least that Troika and the Institutions could do to help Greece make its debt sustainable since after all any kind of debt created via illegal or unethical conduct should not be recognised.

  296. avatar
    Julio Guerreiro

    Greece already made it’s choice to leave the EU when voting this new government in, now they simply re-affirm this again on July 5th..
    The Greeks are smart people and have chosen to be their own country without needing to answer or justify to third-parties.
    Greece will continue to prosper having both free will and opportunity to work with BRICS and other emerging nations and rebuild itself..
    It’s simple, the EU austerity sadly does not fit the southern European nations, having only brought upon it discomfort and havoc..

  297. avatar
    Med Intex

    How many Greek people are paying taxes? Why German people must work for them?! Freedom is not about lack of responsibility. Taxes supports Democracy and Liberty.

  298. avatar
    Νίκος Γιαννίρης

    The fucking Communist government should leave Greece.Greece is Europe and Europe is Greece.Help our country to kick out the crazy radical -leftists!!!!!!

  299. avatar
    Andrew Callaghan

    Yes and they will in a few years be a lot better off like i said before look at Iceland they are doing a lot better now

  300. avatar
    Katrin Mpakirtzi

    Greece should change eurozoni ..Few greeks should stop this Ylismos and to bottow money taken back the double. We will be Europeans snd west partners but not taking all day for money didtroing our lifes….Euro is too hard for our country. We need to create another eurozone with studies grams-ata new techologies and not only monetary that others european thought. Material is not everything…is nothing

  301. avatar
    eusebio manuel vestias pecurto

    The main reason why Greece Spain Portugal are having trouble Keeping its public debt is the 2009 financial collapse which led their economies in the ditch and that meltdown was undoubtedly causad the illegal activities of so-called international creditors to macisa activity on his part involving the sale and resale of dept securities worthless value schemes

  302. avatar
    António Froilano

    Grecia não precisou da Europa para existir e inventar a filosofia e a democracia. É hora de sacudir o parasitismo Alemao

  303. avatar
    Steve Bacon

    great britian and greece should leave europe ..its the best option to splitw.. 20 years ago we dint need this set up with europe and everything was fine ..

    • avatar
      Yvetta

      Yes, it means incompetent fools get to vote as well. Disaster…

  304. avatar
    Lefteris Papathanasiou

    Yes!!!We should get out of the EU as soon as possible!1st of all,even loans under the English just there could be a country not paying if there is in STATE OF NECESSITY!!!Furthermore we produce a lot of things that could get our economy back to its feet in a short period of time!Here are some things Hellas produces:1)1st in Europe in Aluminum production,2)1st in EU in Boxite production,3)The biggest unit of Nikelium in EU,4)2nd in the world in smectite production,5)1st in the world in hedromagnesite,6)1st in Perlite,7)2nd in bentonite,8)1st in magnesite,9)3rd in the world in olive and oil production,10)3rd in saffron,11)3rd in kiwis,12)3rd in peaches,13)5th in asparaggus,14)7th in cotton EXPORTS,15)17th in the world in tourist arrivals,16)16th in cheese products exports,17)1st and biggest comercial fleet in the world and i don’t take in account the natural gas and petroleum which yet is not extracted!!!So YES out of the EU NOW!!!!!!!

  305. avatar
    Vicente Silva Tavares

    I know there are no angels in all this story. Sure Greeks are guilty on corruption, evading taxes, spending too much on army, buying unworthy expensive German submarines but… European Union destroyed the economy of Greece with the Euro and its policies, send a troika that had destroyed the country, insisted in the policy, putting the Greece economy even more down, with the complacence of the right wing party and Pasok, and to punish Syriza that had inherited this disastrous situation, but mainly to tell other European countries like Spain, Italy and Portugal that there is no other solution than to obey the orders of EU controlled by Germany, made an ultimate of or this or out. This is a lesson for all countries in difficulties. If you do not comply you’ll be out of our group. No leftist, no popular parties have any chance to get any reasonable solution to Govern within the Euro club. I do hope Greece leave the Euro, leave the European Union – EU and get only a preferencial partnership, implement a policy to attract industry from those countries that pushed it out, downsizing the taxes for foreign investors so they will close their factories in Germany, Holland and so on and transforming Greece in a new China of Europe. Then they will laugh.

  306. avatar
    Martti Immonen

    As the greeks show once again how trustworthy they are whilst dealing with EURO-group and lying to own citizens at the same time is totally an disgrace. Unfortunately there is not a possibility to work with Tsipras whom play with fire and with the lifes of many greeks. Problems go back decades and the cold thruth should be said as it is to the greeks and maybe then greek citizens will rise united and put those politicians to the court. No understanding left for Greece – Grexit.

  307. avatar
    Rui Gil da Costa

    All this episode has made me admire the extraordinary loyalty of the Greek government towards their people. This contrasts entirely with the attitude of many other European governments, submissive to corporate interests.

  308. avatar
    GreekCitizen

    None of the Greeks want to leave Eurozone and Euro ,but there are people who afraid and the nationalists who make that fear to grow in these people .Greece must stay in Eurozone but we want and from Europe to give a chance to us so we would have some hopes about our future .

    • avatar
      Andreas

      Many Greeks want to leave Eurozone! One of them is me! So speak for yourself!

  309. avatar
    Giorgos Bellos

    NO! No more austerity for Greece no more austerity for Europe!

  310. avatar
    John Zervas

    I will just repost what I wrote on Facebook, it’s a strategiv analysis

    “A state of no responsibilities

    After 5 years of austerity in Europe, one thing is now perfectly clear: You can see it when Schäuble lifts his shoulders with derision when he listens to something that is against that austerity: He, and by extension the entire state of Germany lack basic strategic thought.

    You don’t believe me right? I mean, how could the nation from which 2 World wars started can lack strategy? Well, the answer is simple: A nation-state will always have strategic thought because that grand strategy, that Statecraft, will be the reason of its survival in the world. That is axiomatic. All nation-states have grand strategy because all nations want to survive.Then how come Germany seems to lack that?

    To answer that we need to ask a few questions first: Does Germany have any armed forces? Yes, about 60.000. That is low, very low for a nation of this magnitude. So basically the answer is no, German soldiers are there basically just for show.

    Does Germany have nuclear weapons? No. It is forbidden to have any nuclear warheads according to all the treaties it has signed since 1945.
    So basically, Germany has no worth mentioning armed forces. This means that it does not need to concern itself with maintaining them and be responsible towards other nation-states about the way it handles them.

    That is unheard of, an economic power of that caliber such as Germany to not have any brute strength but only economic might. Does this sound like a reason for not having strategic thought? Yes, yes it does. Armies make a nation self-aware of its existence in the world and its responsibilities towards other nation states because of the option they have that a war might break out since they have an army to start it. From that caution, since times immemorial, strategic thought emerges:

    “Will I be able to do this or that or will I be attacked as a retaliation if my decision is wrong?”

    Nuclear weapons raise the stakes of that simple question and transform it:

    “Nuclear holocaust is the price of a wrong move on my part. Maybe I should rething my entire policy if it will upset the balance of power in my region. I don’t want my citizens to suffer a nuclear threat or attack.”

    Simple and plain: Armies and nuclear weapons are the tools of a proper superpower and Germany, although being an economic superpower does not possess them or the responsibilites that come with them.

    Like a stubborn child, Schauble and his nation-state, protected by their profound lack of any “serious” means to start another bloodbath in Europe, hide behind thei large economy for which they have indeed worked hard for. They thus refuse to abandon their only weapon, not their miniscule army or their non-existent nuclear stockpile, but the common currency, the Euro. They put austerity as thei means of showing the world that they are here and they are powerful, just as any superpower always does.

    The Euro is Germany’s new weapon and because it does not look like one, the German people use it without any strategy, trampling smaller economies like Greece and Portugal. Had they had any strategic thought they would see that their policy is damaging the region and upsets the global balance of power. Since they do not possess the ancient tool, the army, they do not know what it means to upset other countries and the balance of power, their minds are not tuned to that serious fact.

    They never had to think about their policies seriously and how they affect other nation-states. Unburdedned by any responsibilities for their actions, since they indeed don’t have any means to actually hurt other nation-states, they use the EU, a union that was created along with NATO for the sole purpose of making sure that Germany would not start World War III , as if it is their living room, throwing their dirty shoes on its South EU couch, not listening to the countries of that couch who suffer from their inadequacy.

    So there you have it. The leading power of Europe can easily be compared to a spoiled chilld with no one to teach it what good manners means in international politics. When will the parent come in the room to see the dirty couch I don’t know but the punishment will be severe.

    The solution? Force Germany to have and control nuclear weapons and a proper large amry. Make it responsible for its actions by having other nation-states actually fear it- make it see what it means to be a true superpower with responsibilities and true risks so it can grow up and realize what its only weapn, the economy, is doing to the other nation-states of EU: it’s the only way of restoring balance in the region and avoid its slow economic death.

    If Germany wants (and should) be the leader of Europe, it must start acting like it and become a true superpower. Before the parent gets into the room…..

  311. avatar
    George D Mouroulis

    NO NEVER !!! This will mean a financial suicide for Greece and it’s future !
    It will take Centuries for our small, in productivity Nation like ours, to recover and be able to give a chance to it’s youth for a better life..
    In every way shape and form of existence ….
    Please…. PLEASE ..Think about it …! Thank you.

  312. avatar
    Netia

    Lets say you lent me $50 tomorrow. When it came time to repay you, I tell you I don’t feel like paying you back, and that you asking for repayment is humiliating and immoral.Then, I state that you need to lend me another $50 because I need it. How would you feel? I’d presume you wouldn’t be happy because I was clearly being unethical, and ultimately, stealing your money.

    Greece cannot steal billions of dollars of European tax payer money just because they feel like it. This whole debate is ludicrous.

  313. avatar
    marcin

    Europe is awaiting Greece society to decide if they will accept Euro help or not – sounds a bit ridiculous.
    I would rather say, all the other European countries should vote in referendum and decide if, “they really should help Greece or not?” . I prefer money from our taxes, not to be wasted anymore on helping country that is not able to manage their own expenses.
    I am sure those funds could be better invested.
    Amputation is also form of curing the body. (if it is necessary of course).

  314. avatar
    Brexitforbreakfast

    Greece and UK should leave EU! Does nobody see what Germany is doing? Germany is running the whole show, no longer does it need to take countries by force as they’ve taken a tip from the Americans and just buying the whole of Europe under the desguise of The European Union. No longer is the EU about trade as it was intended for! We can still have close relationship with the rest of Europe with out a need of a United States Of Europe!! Let us abandon this sinking ship.

  315. avatar
    Manxblade

    Greece as to give electric grid to a German company what a joke. Leave and start again

  316. avatar
    Its Free From Greece to Humanity for Ever

    Θα φορολογήσει κανείς τα “μαύρα” 800 δισ. των Ελλήνων στην Ελβετία;
    «Εδώ και μήνες οι αρχές στην Ελβετία απλά περιμένουν από την ελληνική κυβέρνηση να πιάσει το «μαύρο χρήμα» που ανέρχεται σε δισεκατομμύρια. Αλλά o υπουργός Οικονομικών Βαρουφάκης δεν απαντά» αναφέρει το δημοσίευμα εξαπολύοντας πυρά κατά του Γιάνη Βαρουφάκη, ο οποίος, όπως αναφέρει, “αντί να ενδιαφέρεται να φολορογήσει τα πιθανότατα παράνομα χρήματα διαβεβαιώνει ότι όλα θα μείνουν ίδια για τους εφοπλιστές”.
    Tο ελληνικής προέλευσης «μαύρο χρήμα» στην Ελβετία στα τέλη του 2013 ανερχόταν σε 800 δισ. ευρώ, ενώ δεν είναι διαθέσιμα πιο πρόσφατα στοιχεία.
    https://lawyalty.wordpress.com/2015/03/15/die-welt-%CE%B8%CE%B1-%CF%86%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%B3%CE%AE%CF%83%CE%B5%CE%B9-%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B5%CE%AF%CF%82-%CF%84%CE%B1-%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%8D%CF%81%CE%B1-800-%CE%B4/

  317. avatar
    Dimitris Stamiris

    The right question is :
    Should EU take everything from Greece ??

    Or:
    Greece have pay 5 times the debt , should leave greece to live ?

    Or :
    Germany have win thousand of millions from Greece , should say enough ?

    Or :
    GERMANY take everything from Greece but the Greek petrol , should wait until take it ?

    Or :
    Greece have save GERMANY back at 1952 , should GERMANY stop speak badly for Greece and pay back the money from 2d war damages ??

    WHAT YOU PEOPLE DONT UNDERSTAND ????

    Μιχαλης Μιχαηλιδης
    Κώστας Λουμιώτης
    Μαρθα Σκανδαλαρη
    Xristina Skandalari
    Νίκος Χατζητρακόσιας
    Nikos Liosis
    Panagiotis Peppas
    Asimina Manoli
    Daria Bilska-Stamiri
    Radek Otta
    Vassi Athanasiou

  318. avatar
    Nikolas Kontogiannis

    If greece leave the euro zone it will stop been Europe as we know it and it will desolve …Europe is a Greek creation as a consent as idea and culture. Europe with out Greece is like a kid without his parent

  319. avatar
    Νίκος Γιαννίρης

    The only thing that Greece should do to stay in the EU is to send away the fucking extreme -left government we have!!!!Crazy people govern our country now.People that they have no fucking idea how to rule a country!Fucking leftists!!!!!!!!

  320. avatar
    Yanni Sfyrides

    Eurozone should soon be transformed to a unit including more Greece, meaning more Democracy and not being a dry economic union as it is today.Europe should be transformed in a unity in terms of common security, health system,education, external policy, social policy etc.European fundamentals are based on enlightment which was based on Greek ideals and language.EUROPE is a Greek word.

  321. avatar
    Muscas Anne

    What eurozone? Hahaha!!! The eurozone disaster, each country building borders trying to safeguard their own. What a a mess, foolish dictators.

  322. avatar
    Alex Casalboni

    We want and we need a Peoples Social Europe ! and not an Europe of banks ! And an Europe indipendent from USA ! The Europeans nations must leave the Nato organizations because it’s not a peaceful organizations ! Europe must be indipendent from USA, we are’nt a their colony !!

  323. avatar
    Paulo Neves Cortesao

    It’s almost impossibile Eurozone continue working if all countries don’t belong also to European Union and Schengen zone.
    If different countries belong to a COMMUNITY / UNION, this community need to have some base rules for education, heath, justice, economy, public assistance, intern and extern political….

  324. avatar
    Tsigerliotis Giorgos

    we don’t really want to belong to ” Europe with lack of democracy”…it could be probably worst at the beggining but after sometime(probably1-2yrs)will only get better with the strength of your own currency!!We don’t want to belong to a German Europe!

  325. avatar
    Giossas Kostas

    Yes we should go out and not only from eurozone but out EU…. EU is non europe, is banker/masonic club……

  326. avatar
    Jude De Froissard

    Eurozone means :depending on the will of the capricious eurocrats..+.loss of financial and economic freedom….the euro should be used as a common exchange currency…not as a national currency for all.Example…Britain has its own currency…and its own budget ..it can devaluate if it finds it necessary. .. etc..etc.

  327. avatar
    Buj Alex

    yes!!! lets see what happens! it is clear that EU gave Greece the finger … lets go all the way!! f EU … what happens ? greeks are no good for Europe, that’s what they said … then let them leave !!!

  328. avatar
    Manolis Karras

    In or out, international law says all debt must be payed. Greece has been paying debts since the 1800’s. Out, the debt increases but the economy will recover quicker. So let’s re-read the title. ” Should Greece get rid of ineffective politicians not leading to the good of the country and people?”. Adding, ” should big corporations stop finding loopholes to evade tax”. “Should the gov’t go after the elite tax-evaders and stop picking on the middle class and pensioners who are always there and easy to find?”. ” Should our EU partners stop doing damaging business with Greek partners destroying the country but making them profiteer? If these are solved, Greece would be a wonderful country.

  329. avatar
    Darin Attard

    Should the German central bank dictate all the economies of the European countries? What will happen if the EU collapses, along with the currency? The Euro was designed for the Benelux countries and not for all the countries.

  330. avatar
    Su La

    Yes, and that should be since years. Corruption, low economy leverage and now lack of border control!

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