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"Prove You're Not A False Prophet!"; Tsipras Lambasted At Fire And Brimstone European Parliament Session
Facing a new “deadline” (doomsday is now set for Sunday) to submit a viable proposal to EU creditors, Alexis Tsipras addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday.
The embattled Greek PM once again called for debt relief (something Angela Merkel roundly rejected yesterday despite the IMF’s contention that writedowns are a precondition for “sustainability”) and claimed that Greece was being used as a “laboratory for testing austerity.”
Greeks, “stood up and were counted” last Sunday and it is now incumbent upon Brussels to “listen to what they said,” Tsipras continued, referencing the referendum which The Telegraph’s Ambrose Evans-Pritchard says the PM did not in fact plan on winning.
Here’s more from NY Times on Tsipras' defiant speech:
“We want an agreement that will give a final end to the crisis and show there is light at the end of the tunnel,” Mr. Tsipras told the packed chamber. But he indicated that a deal could not come at any price, noting that Greece had been “transformed into a laboratory for testing austerity over the past years.”
“The money that was given to Greece never went to the people,” Mr. Tsipras said, drawing a mix of booing and applause. “The money was given to save Greek and European banks.”
The Greek leader declared that he was not seeking a “rupture” with Europe but rather a “socially just and economically viable agreement without the mistakes of the past, that caused a recessionary spiral.”
Any deal should reflect the “strong mandate” of the Greek people, he added, a reference to the resounding rejection of austerity measures proposed by creditors in a referendum last Sunday.
And more from the Irish Times:
"We are determined not to have a clash with Europe but to tackle head on the establishment in our own country and to change the mindset which will take us and the euro zone down,” Tsipras said to applause from the left.
He promised to deliver detailed reform proposals in the next 48 hours and mostly eschewed the angry rhetoric that has alienated many European partners, although he criticised attempts to “terrorise” Greeks into voting for “never-ending austerity”.
Mr Tsipras acknowledged his radical government’s share of responsibility for what had gone wrong in its 5 and a half months in office but said the bulk of Greece’s problems lay in a failed austerity policy imposed over the last 5 and a half years of crisis.
He was also strongly critical of Greece’s failings as a society, citing a history of clientelism, corruption, chronic tax evasion that had “run riot”, inequality and “the nexus of political and economic power”.
Finally, here's Reuters with a recap:
I find myself here only a few days after the resounding verdict of the Greek people, after a decision we took to give the floor directly, to ask the Greek people directly, for the their views and be an active part of the negotiations affecting their own future. A few days after these negotiations we've now been given a mandate to redouble our efforts to get a socially just and economically sustainable solution to the Greek problem, without repeating the mistakes of the past which condemn the Greek economy to a period of never-ending impasse of austerity which trapped our economy in a recessionary vicious circle.
Let me assure the house that, quite apart from the crisis, we will continue with our reform undertakings. Let's not forget that for the past five years the Greek people have made a tremendous effort for adjustment but this has exhausted the resilience and the patience of the Greek people.
We demand an agreement with our neighbours but one which gives us a sign that we are on a long-lasting basis exiting from the crisis, which will demonstrate that there's light at the end of the tunnel.
The proposals we have made to our partners are credible reforms with an acceptable degree of burden sharing without recessionary effects. We need to ensure the medium term funding of our country with a development and growth programme because otherwise we won't exit from this crisis. Our prime objective must be to combat unemployment and to encourage entrepreneurship.
I am not one of those politicians who claim that those responsible for the woes of Greece have been wicked foreigners. Greece has got to the verge of bankruptcy because for many many years, the governments of Greece have been creating a clientelist governments, they have strengthened the hands of corruption, they have created and nurtured a nexus between political and economic power.
They have allowed tax evasion to run riot and it's not right. In accordance with a survey by Credit Suisse, 10 percent of Greeks currently have 56 percent of the national wealth and 10 percent in a time of austerity, they have not shared the pressure.
This is a major injustice and the programmes, the bailout programmes have not made things better. They were supposed to bring about reforms but those reforms have not made things better, on the contrary they have made things worse. We were supposed to bring about reforms but those reforms have not, and too, the tax collection mechanisms which collapsed under the excessive zeal of enlightened terrified national officials.
None of the reforms have helped when it comes to the nexus between the political establishments, the oligarchs and the banks in that three-sided ring. None of the reforms have improved the functioning, the efficiency of the mechanisms of the state which have now become inured to working in the selfish interests, the vested interests rather than the common good.
European history is a history of conflict but conflict leading to compromise, it's also a history of convergence and enlargements, it is a history of unity and not divisions, and this is why we talk about a united Europe and let us not allow it to become a divided Europe.
At this time, we are called upon to produce a productive and fair compromise which will avoid a break-off in negotiations and this is in line with the traditions of European Union.
All of us have taken the measure of the situation and I believe that together we can rise to this historical challenge.
While Tsipras' 12 minute speech was full of the same bravado and bluster the world has come to expect from the Greek PM, it paled in comparison to the tongue lashing he received from others in attendance. German MEP Manfred Weber for instance, accused Tsipras of "looking for failure" and trying to hurt "nurses in Poland" before warning the PM about the perils of associating with Fidel Castro. Here's are some choice excerpts courtesy of FT:
The prime minister of Greece should apologise for those utterly unacceptable statements [terrorists]. Unfortunately he has passed over them in silence
You are destroying confidence in Europe. You're talking about dignity, but dignity means truth, honesty. You said that the banks are closing because the evil ECB is ratcheting up pressure. You said the banks would be open on Tuesday, it is now Wednesday, you are not being honest with the Greek people.
Mr Tsipras, the extremists of Europe are applauding you. Fidel Castro wrote a message to congratulate you on your triumph. It seems to me you are surrounding yourself with the wrong friends.
If you're talking about a debt haircut, be honest. Its not extraneous financial institutions that will pay. It's Portugal… Spain… It's the nurses in Poland. You have to think about the dignity of people in other European countries
How can you tell Bulgaria in terms of solidarity that Greece cannot countenance further cuts, when in at least 5 other European countries the standard of living is lower than in Greece. The PM of Slovakia is also thinking about a referendum because the citizens are sick of shelling out for the Greeks.
You engage in confrontation, we engage in compromise. You are looking for failure, we are looking for success.
But perhaps the most damning criticism came from former Belgian PM Guy Verhofstadt who, after essentially daring Tsipras to show up on Twitter Tuesday, proceeded to lambast the Greek premier in an 8 minute speech which culminated in Verhofstadt suggesting that Tsipras was a "false prophet."
.@atsipras, it's a scandal you refuse to come to @Europarl_EN for a debate on #Greece. You are the PM of Greece, the cradle of #democracy
— Guy Verhofstadt (@GuyVerhofstadt) July 7, 2015
Nigel Farage also spoke, calling the situation the result of an "irreconcilable cultural difference between Greece and Germany." Farage then proceeded to say quite matter-of-factly, that the "European project is beginning to die." Here's the speech:
We'll close with the following quote from Farage which may well prove quite prescient in the days and weeks ahead:
"You should lead the Greek people out of the eurozone with your head held high, get back your democracy, get back control of your country, give your people the leadership and the hope that they crave. Yes it will be tough for the first few months, but with a devalued currency and friends of Greece all over the world, you will recover."
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Tsipras has caved and that means serfdom for Greeks for decades. Iceland would have been the model to follow.
SUPERB Analysis of the Greferendum and Potential Grexit
Things have really gotten bad when politicos resort to telling the truth!
Enough of this shit already.
The only way out of this mess for Greece is to get some debt relief/restructuring from the ECB
And that ain't gonna happen
So stick a fork in it already.
Am I the only one who is relieved at this decision? Greece leaving the Euro would be an absolute disaster. In fact, the consequences would be so dire that it's simply not an option at all. Tspiras made the only sensible decision and I'm glad he did for the sake of the Greek people and the future of the Eurozone. The ECB has offered Greece a practical recovery plan that will allow the Greek economy to re-grow and repay the debt in full. Also, with a committed socialist government in place, the money will be spent building a truly egalitarian society that will put the old Greece to shame.
Lay off the glue for a while.
Greece will NEVER repay its debts
It will devolve into the much more simple agrarian and less populated nation it once was.
And probably leave NATO too.
frankly, there are very few instances of sovereigns paying back their debt. the whole origin of the phrase: "don't put your faith in princes"
in fact, it is not about Greece paying back debts. whoever argues about this mess this way is catering to an indebted crowd that is keen on projection
G. This is the first truly credible and sane comment of yours I have read.
To be blunt, Greece has a quite well armed military that it can't afford to keep anymore, nor replace, so one way or another, Athens is going to have to seriously rethink what it's able to do from here on, and even if they can meet their own and alliance commitments (which I doubt, they are going to struggle to pay for fuel, parts and overhauls), or if the Alliance and its neighbors will be inclined to even trust Athens from here unless they change govt, policies and national attitude.
This is incredibly shameful for a country with such a fantastic cultural legacy, they're now the wino in the gutter begging change to buy a bottle of wine. First they have to admit they have a problem and that problem is debt based spending.
Frankly, if the parliament can not discipline itself to act maturely, and the country wont face facts, a military govt may be what they'll have to have to go to, to put and end to this unresolveable farcical total lack of economic and financial discipline. And then they face the possibility of civil conflict breaking out.
What's for sure, the carnival is over.
replace 'Greece' with 'USA', and your screed remains 100% accurate.
if it takes 3-5 years to accomplish an inevitable Grexit, how long will it take for the massive, entrenched USA propaganda machine to finally collapse?
We may all go insane, grow old, and die watching the slow-motion trainwreck that is the fraudulent western FRB (and debt engineering) system, so perhaps best to Get Out of The System and move on, ASAP.
It will be like Bangladesh or the Phillippines. Greek youth will work overseas and send remittances home. Once a year they will visit ma and pa with a refigerator in their back pack.
MDB...your a genius...Reminds me of John Cleese in the Monty Python skit - "I would like to have an argument, please"
MDB - I love you man, but you really are a fuckwitt.
"The ECB has offered Greece a practical recovery plan that will allow the Greek economy to re-grow and repay the debt in full."
No country, ever, in history (except one) has ever paid off its debt.
Welcome back MDB. You make it worthwhile.
Finland.
A socialist egalitarian society will never be able to pay it's debts back. But I'm glad you see that even the attempt can only be made on the backs of others since, as we've seen every other time it's been tried, internally generating any affluence under such conditions is impossible.
they only tell the truth when it's going to screw someone else.
But, but, but....didn't the Greeks vote no?
Democracy; Nothing but a fading memory.
Bend over (again) and enjoy your slavery.
As I said before, I held a vote in my house to decide whether or not to pay back my mortgage and the bank wouldn't honor it. Damn! Democracy IS nothing but a faded memory.
Don't complain about a lack of democracy after you democratically chose slavery (a.k.a. socialism)
golly gee, who could have seen this coming?
(answer: more than did)
another sell-out by a two-faced politician:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/greece-tsipras-surrenders-to-troika-demands...
German MEP Manfred Weber: "Punishing Polish Nurses" - oh sure buddy, wouldn't have anything to do with corrupt bankers and their politician lackeys. How are those WWI and WWII debt payments going my dear Hun?
Theater of the absurd. The debt is unpayable, the world financial system unsustainable.
When do they bring the lamb of Spain or the goat of Italy to the altar for sacrifice?
Spain? Italy? Portugal?
If left to the EU/ECB to manage, we will all be dead from old age, waiting for the inevitable.
European bureaucracy excels at ONE thing... moving. very. slowly.
The people in Spain/Italy/Portugal will have to force exit/change, as waiting for the european bureaucracy to reach that conclusion will require decades...
Step one for greece should be to leave NATO. Greece has the largest military spending per capita in Europe. what is that for? To protect the sheep and olive trees?
Those sheep and olive trees is what Turkey wants especially if they are located on islands in the Aegean.
It's all about those nice warm water ports that Russia has so little of....
Guy Verhofstad is a fucking tool. Take it from a Belgian.
In order to protect the legitmacy of money printing and capital theft, you must pay us back every dollar we printed so we may pay back the banks who dine on your poor.
Mario Draghi, Christine Lagarde and Jean Claude Junker.
This all about protecting Greek government payees .... the people who have to work for a living .... were never a factor !
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Like groundhog day. Until the food runs out.
Fuck the EU, and fuck the IMF and ECB bankster cabal. Greece should exit and welcome the embrace of Russia, China and BRICS!
Easier said than done. These other BRIC nations are not paradise and their leaders are not angels. Nor should their taxpayers be paying for those common sense reforms that the Greek government refuses to carry out.
No one owes Greeks a standard of living. They should just freeze the Greek debt and give no more money. Then leave Greeks to sink or swim using their own wits. No interference but also no molly coddling.
Instead of cutting off his arm,Alexis Tsipras decided to cut off his balls,instead..
Belgian PM Guy Verhofstadt... as you dance past the hypocricy marker & throwing stones within your glass house I would recommend you read Jeremiah Chapter 23 & before you cast another stone perhaps you may want to consider a moment to reflect & consider taking a personal inventory & evaluate your thoughts BEFORE you open your mouth
God saves us from ourselves
Fuck Guy Verhofstadt! This guy (no pun intended) went over to Ukraine to stir things up there and anounce that the West had won in Ukraine. Then it all went wrong and now he is quiet about it.
This guy wants every increasing European 'unity' for the benefit of big corporations and at the expense of European people. It is the EU that prefered big banks over people when they bailed out the banks that made bad investments in Greece. The EU taxpayer was never aksed but they are on the hook to foot that bail out if Greece defaults or if they get a hair cut. And now he is crying of Polish nurses or Bulgarian tax payers?! Cry me a river. He does not give one flying fuck about ordinary people.
Tsipras in fact said much more in his speech. He reminded Germany that most of her debts were forgiven in 1953.
Back in Greece some of the scumbags that led Greece to her destruction over the last 10 years were stating that Tsipras should be tried fro treason and hung.
The reality is that if you remove all the words that have been spoken by all sides all you have is a nation that cannot maintain itself on its own present efforts and resources.
The standard of living in Greece will fall and fall until many die.
Strangely though nothing is said by any side about the vast gas and oil reserves in the Aegean. I presume they have already being spoken for by other members of Europe.
Nothing is said either (yet) about the vast sums of untaxed money secreted away in Swiss bank accounts by Greek elites. They could start with that.
Tsipras will not follow Farage's uplifting advice .... because, he's just a socialist fuck .... waiting for more handouts !
One can't help but feel that the desperate youth will turn to the only parties that are firmly against further involvement in the EU come next election, if there is one. Golden Dawn and the Communists are set to advance now.
Too bad there is no hardline Capitalist party in Greece or anywhere else. You know, something to actually solve the crisis.
Farage just convinced him.
Tsipras .... a little monkey on a chain .... with a little tin cup !
Why bother to remain part of this circus?
Got to love Nigel. He can sure give a speech.
Tsipras never wanted a referendum. He wanted to cave. He only had the referendum to shut Betty up. People were pulling their life savings out of the wall. Surely nobody would actually vote OXI. Then, maybe, he'd have a chance of cutting his losses without Betty stabbing him with a steak knife. He never thought the OXI would win.
Now Yanis has cashed out, Euclid is in over his head and the eurogroup have understandably decided the Greek people are determined to do this the hard way, and it's time to get on with it. Not even the support of Greece's mainstream parties is likeky to change that. Farage and Le Pen can't help Syriza and almost certainly wouldn't if they could. Putin? Forget it. Not while Greece is ruled by a mangina.
Today's meeting was Tsipras' trial, death warrant to be signed Sunday. Grexit this week, coup end of the month, Greece out of EU end of August.
I thought there was no legal route for Greece to leave the EU or EMU unless they actually requested it themselves?
the austerity project.. the result of Reagan / thatcher - Ayn rand Objectivist madness.. austerity for the people.. while the privatizers rape the country, privatize all of it, sell it off to themselves with the ill gotten loots of their pillage.
its happening everywhere, us included. empowered titans of industry = voodoo economics = rape everything, then snuff it out, wrangle over the carcass
we are witnessing the end game of a 1% galt collection of inbred elites, and their neo feudalism.
predictable , really.
for all the principled blather, like all other systems, including the us.. rest on a inference that is completely unachievable. people with power and access maintaining trustworthiness.
all people with power and access will go full retard corrupt. always have, always will, unless violent accountability is maintained.
Judging by Tsipras' body-language reaction to the Farage speech, he ain't buyin' the
"just leave" medicine. Unless he's a very good poker player.
agree....Greeks are back to square one
Is it any wonder .... why Muslim riff raff are flooding into Europe .... some arrive live .... when their rickety boats are saved .... by the Italian navy .... and Capt. Francesco Shettino !
"You have to think about the dignity of people in other European countries"
*eyeball roll*
The bit about "false prophet" certainly shows who is writing the script. Unlimited hubris from these bastards.
Guy Verhofstadt is an idiot by profession.
In the video below Verhofstadt explains the European Union.
He doesn't like views and opinions that that are not in line with his... He also tells that everything has changed now (France and The Netherlands voted NO against the European Constitution but now [2012] those countries would vote YES). Ofcourse not, but don't ask the people by referendum ever again... That would be too much democracy.
BBC Hardtalk: Guy Verhofstadt & Richard Ashworth - Members of the European Parliament
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mzhwp[/url]
Video (working link): [url]http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/6372221/4e417d48/video._guy_verhofstadt_...[/url]
DWN has called "Merkel-Mann" speech brutal and a hate speech. He labeled all the other parties that had applauded Tsipras during his speech as "extremists". While he was very vocal about the losses of other European countries and peoples, he did not enumerate Germany or DeutscheBank's losses. One would think he was more concerned with the losses of the "Polish nurses". Leader of the Social Democrats, Gianni Petelli, spoke and said he didn't want the assembly transformed into a witch's cauldron. He said he was not looking for excuses, but solutions. Quite a take down of Mann.
The DWN's take on the Assembly Meeting was quite different than the other MSM.
http://deutsche-wirtschafts-nachrichten.de/2015/07/08/skandal-im-eu-parl...
"I am not one of those politicians who claim that those responsible for the woes of Greece have been wicked foreigners. Greece has got to the verge of bankruptcy because for many many years, the governments of Greece have been creating a clientelist governments, they have strengthened the hands of corruption, they have created and nurtured a nexus between political and economic power."
Where are the arrests and prosecutions?
Where are the Reparations?
You know, I think this could be the big one guys! Glad I loaded up on brass and lead instead of gold and silver last year. Also bought cattle instead of stocks and a new car for the wife, that has worked really well so far, first calf crop paid for the cows, cows are worth twice as much, this years calf crop worth twice as much this year. Not bad for a dumbass Okie!
But to be sure, I have lost my ass on cattle in the past, or should I say did not make a profit, just broke evven.
It's a Greek victory, come from behind!
Syriza can't seem to talk about economics without referring to social justice. Economics is messy enough by itself.
Anybody find an over / under line on Greece 'deadlines'? I'd put a $50 on over 346