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The Forum > Article Comments > Where is the plan, Syriza? > Comments

Where is the plan, Syriza? : Comments

By Fotis Kapetopoulos, published 9/4/2015

After almost 100 days in office Syriza isn't showing much of a plan to help Greece tackle its growing economic and bureaucratic problems

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Instead of addressing the most strategic and operational areas for reform in the troubled Hellenic Republic, Syriza is rushing off to Russia to get more loans. Instead of working constructively with its neighbours like the Republic of Macedonia, Syriza is continuing to block Macedonia's entry into NATO and the EU. Instead of working in partnership with its diaspora, Syriza is focusing on selling state owned assets to foreigners. Put simply, Syriza is not the solution to Greece's deep economic and cultural problems and is unsustainable.
Posted by Macedonian advocacy, Thursday, 9 April 2015 9:15:25 AM
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Leaving aside what Wilde thought of those "east of Calais"...

A good article. It is always comforting to realise how much luckier we are in Australia.

However, on the issue of "Xenophobia" (last para) yes Senator Nick Xenophon would indeed make an excellent leader (Demogogue?) of Greece.

Maybe Nick could bear gifts :)
Posted by plantagenet, Thursday, 9 April 2015 12:22:08 PM
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Hi Pete,

By dodging taxes, Greeks have, I hate to say, brought much of this on themselves. They have got themselves into a huge financial hole by doing that and by not developing innovative or niche industries, and they will have to get themselves out of their own mess.

If they want a large public bureaucracy, then the only way to pay for it is to ensure that the Treasury has the resources to do that, and the main way for that to happen is for people to pay their taxes, like ordinary human beings. No free lunches !

I think Nick Xenophon has far more sense than to get involved. But I'm sure he would sometimes weep for Greece, as we all should.

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Thursday, 9 April 2015 5:08:44 PM
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Hi Joe

Well the Greek Olympic Committee have always claimed the Summer Olympics' permanent home should be Athens. What with its efficiency the Greek economy could be enriched by the rest of the world paying homage to it.

As well as German reparations to Greece for invading it in WWII the kids of the Roman Empire could pay for centuries of occupation coupla thousand years ago.

On the issue of Christianity I'm unsure whether Cardinal Pell (for the Vatican) or Byzantium, just don't mention the Turks, should pay Greece for destroying the religion of Zeus and the Aphrodisiacs.

All for Nick and his junta to work out.

Pete
Posted by plantagenet, Thursday, 9 April 2015 6:05:24 PM
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Pete, yeah, that might get them into an even deeper hole - how much did the Olympics cost them ? If they had to do it every four years, they would never get out of debt.

As for reparations, how far back can one go ? Perhaps Greece could sue Bulgaria for invading it during WW II - and then start another war with Turkey by demanding reparations for the 'removals' of 1915 and expulsions of 1920-24.

I suppose it's easy for us, we've had it so easy here, but the only ones who might win out from all the re-igniting of old wars, and the re-balancing of the books, would be the big accounting firms.

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Thursday, 9 April 2015 6:58:03 PM
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Greeks were not living beyond their means. The standard of living of the Greek people was modest by European standards. When the GFC struck, Greeks worked longer hours by EU and world standards and their welfare and social spending budget was the second lowest in Europe after Albania.

However, its military budget was the highest of all the EU countries – up until 2009, €10 billion per year (declared – undeclared corruption accounted for many billions more). For decades Greece spent 7% of its GDP on defence, compared to other European countries, which spent an average 2%.

Greece’s decades-long, excessively high military spending has been in direct reaction to the series of 1960s socialist uprisings against the Greek oligarchy, in which massive amounts have been needed to finance decades of military repression. Greek military contracts have always been the greatest source of corruption, payoffs, kickbacks and secrecy.

As right-wing oligarchs have found throughout history, crushing the left is a very expensive business, but very lucrative for those buying and selling the weapons.

With the appointment of the ultra-right-wing Greek Independence Party to head the Defense Ministry in the Syriza cabinet, I don’t hold much hope that Syriza will break the decades-long stranglehold of the Greek military over public spending.

In the meantime, the Western media have been granted open slather to blame it all on a fictitious scenario of greedy Greek workers and pensioners living beyond their means, who are now paying the price for their profligacy
Posted by Killarney, Friday, 10 April 2015 1:17:52 AM
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