Pages

Welcome, 77 artists, 40 different points of Attica welcomes you by singing Erotokritos an epic romance written at 1713 by Vitsentzos Kornaros

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Letters: Dutch election could offer lessons for Labour and the left

According to the Dutch Socialist party's magazine, the party advocates a new Europe of a "real democracy close to people, with space for local culture and identity based on social policy for the whole EU" (Extremes find common cause, 10 September). The model of centre parties defending our democracy against extremist parties of the left and right is more a product of ideology than reality. To compare the Socialist party, which will – if elected to participate in the government today – make society more liberal and more social, with the fascist Freedom party is beyond comprehension. History should have taught us by now that all anti-fascists and democrats should stand together against the racist ideology of the new and not-so-new right.

The lack of a political party in Britain like the Dutch Socialist party, the United Left in Spain, Syriza in Greece or Germany's Die Linke tells us much about the poverty of our political culture.
Andreas Wiesner
Macclesfield, Cheshire

• Gavin Kelly's perceptive view of the 2015 election (Casting ahead to 2015, no leader likes what he sees, 10 September) refers to "fairness in austerity – fertile terrain for Miliband". Labour can win the election outright with an emphasis on fairness and justice as the dominant themes of the manifesto and campaign. By stressing how much of the failure of the austerity programme can only be described by adjectives of exactly opposite meaning, and how none of it was in the Tory manifesto, Ed Miliband can win on the "fairness" ticket.

Putting forward policies which promote fairness – such as restoring the 50% band, perhaps at £140,000, appointing more tax inspectors and increasing corporate transparency, introducing a Tobin tax and a creating nationalised bank for investment in small businesses – could be a vote-winner. Let's start with the conference speech, Ed.
Bernie Evans
Liverpool

• Peter Wilby (Comment, 6 September) advises the Labour leader to move away from the centre ground. I would suggest that Ed Miliband looks at history, rather than listening to the wishful thinking of Mr Wilby and others who promote this view. Since the great reforming Attlee government, only two Labour leaders have won general elections, both unashamed pragmatists. Harold Wilson won four times (one as a minority government) and Tony Blair won three (handsomely).

I have no doubt that he would have won another in 2010, had he not been pushed out – mainly by the Tory press, which knew it would never beat him. Remember, his last victory was in 2005, two years after the invasion of Iraq. Unfortunately, the Labour left swallowed the Tory press line – believing, for some reason, that Gordon Brown, the friend of the City, was somehow to the left of Blair.

Labour leaders elected to move the party to the left – Foot (rather than Healey), Kinnock (rather than Hattersley) – made the party unelectable. Kinnock could not even defeat John Major, whom the Tories had set up as the fall guy for an expected defeat. Unfortunately, there has always been a body of Labour supporters who prefer to be principled in opposition, rather than take some responsibility for changing things in power.
Kieran O'Keeffe
Addlestone, Surrey


guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.guardian.co.uk

Greece Names Nazi Reparations Panel

The move indicates the extent to which the shaky coalition government in Athens is trying to appease lawmakers from the extreme right and left.

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.nytimes.com

Religious meeting calls for world peace




The meeting involved officials from Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist communities, and they walked together through Sarajevo's streets Tuesday evening before issuing their joint commitment to peace.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.sfgate.com

Greece resumes privatisation drive, shortlists property bidders


Greece resumes privatisation drive, shortlists property bidders
Reuters
ATHENS, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Greece's privatisation agency HRADF pushed ahead with a string of state asset sales on Tuesday, putting an end to five months of inactivity caused by the country's political wobbles. HRADF shortlisted four companies ...

and more »

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT in.reuters.com

German judges could hold the future of the eurozone in their hands

Court in Karlsruhe is expected to announce whether Germany's participation in a permanent bailout fund is in line with the country's constitution

Germany's supreme court has long enjoyed a reputation that it is good for surprises. But its eight judges will never have felt their capacity for creating so much drama as in the run-up to a ruling they are due to deliver on Wednesday, and which could decide the future of the euro and even influence the world economy.

The court in Karlsruhe is expected to announce whether Germany's participation in a permanent European bailout fund is in line with the country's constitution, a decision that has Angela Merkel's government on tenterhooks.

If the court rules in favour of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and the fiscal pact on countries' budget limits, then debt-ridden countries like Spain and Greece will be able to be kept afloat as part of Europe's blueprint for tackling debt contagion in the eurozone.

If the court rules against the plan, Europe may find itself in turmoil, with markets likely to react with panic to a decision that would have the potential to topple the single currency.

A late legal challenge by a conservative member of the German parliament was rejected by the court on Tuesday, ensuring that the judges would stick to their original plan to deliver their long-awaited verdict on the bailout.

But most analysts agree that the judges, not wishing to go down in history as the court that brought down the German government, and the euro and plunged the world economy into gloom, are likely vote in favour of the bailout mechanism.

"I don't think the court will strike down the ESM, because it wouldn't like to be seen to be killing off the euro. Just as the German government doesn't have the courage to do that, neither does the court. If it ruled that the government had adopted a wrong decision, it would cause a huge crisis of legitimacy in Germany," said Gunnar Beck, an EU law expert at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. "Never in the 60-year history of the court has there been an example of the court killing an essential piece of government policy."

What he and other analysts believe, though, is that the court will choose a "middle way" – allowing the ESM to go ahead but not without insisting on tight limits and conditions that would affect the Bundestag's decision-making procedures on future aid and further European integration.

The court's decision not to accept the last-minute appeal by the eurosceptic MP Peter Gauweiler made a positive ruling more likely, analysts said. Gauweiler, who has plenty of allies within the government, had argued that Germany should not agree to the ESM until the European Central Bank reversed its bond-buying plan announced last week, which critics say will stoke inflation and offers no incentive for debt-ridden countries to reform. Gauweiler might still refile his challenge following the rejection.

The case was brought by 37,000 petitioners, including academics, ordinary Germans, and members of Merkel's own party. Their main concern is that their taxes are being used to prop up parts of Europe they view as irresponsibly profligate.

All eyes are on the constitutional court president, Andreas Vosskühle, who will deliver the historical verdict at 10am local time on Wednesday. Vosskühle, a quietly spoken 48-year-old lover of abstract art who eschews the limelight, is believed to support the growing concern in Germany that too much power is being ceded to Brussels. He once said the citizens of Germany "shouldn't one morning wake up and find out that the people they elected have nothing to decide anymore".

Schäuble chastises US borrowing

Not content with taking a hard line with fellow eurozone countries that get too far into debt, Germany's finance minister turned his fire on America's borrowing habit.

In a Bundestag speech to open a debate on the 2013 budget, Wolfgang Schäuble said worries about US debt were a burden for the global economy and questioned how the US would deal with high levels of government debt after the November presidential election – hitting back at Washington's criticism of Europe for failing to get a grip on its own debt crisis.

In private, German officials often express concern about US debt levels and the inability of politicians there to reach a consensus on how to reduce it, but Schäuble's public remarks underscore the extent of the worries in Germany.

"Ahead of the election in the US there is great uncertainty about the course American politics will take in dealing with government debts, which are much too high," Schäuble said.

"We need to remind ourselves of that sometimes and the global economy knows that and is burdened by it."

The issue has become a central theme of the US election campaign with Republican candidate Mitt Romney accusing President Barack Obama of fiscal mismanagement.


guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.guardian.co.uk

Eurozone crisis as it happened: Fresh protests in Greece; Spain resists ...


Homesgofast.com

Eurozone crisis as it happened: Fresh protests in Greece; Spain resists ...
The Guardian
In a massive departure from his usual diplomacy, Greece's ceremonial head employed the occasion of a visit by Canadian officials to say what he really thinks about the fiscal measures being enforced on his compatriots. With international lenders at the ...
Spain, Finland, Greece and Draghi kick off week's crisis calendarIFA Magazine
Euro Struggles As Greece Fails To Secure Bailout, ECB Under PressureDailyFX
EBRD to Greece: please call the helplineFinancial Times (blog)
Homesgofast.com
all 538 news articles »

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.guardian.co.uk

Press Watch, September 11

The Athens press was again abuzz with the outlandish demands of the dread troika, which thirsts for the blood of civil servants. Greece’s lenders want direct sackings, and they want them now, the press reported.

To make matters worse, the word is that a move to raise the retirement age by two years (from the current 65 to 67) is also on the cards.

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.athensnews.gr

Greece suffering "merciless lashing,"—president


Greece suffering "merciless lashing,"—president
San Jose Mercury News
ATHENS, GreeceGreece's President Karolos Papoulias urged the country's creditors Tuesday to ease their demands for more austerity, amid reports that international debt inspectors were pushing government to make tougher concessions on benefits and ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.mercurynews.com

Greek "human chain" protest delays talks with lenders


Greek "human chain" protest delays talks with lenders
Reuters
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek trade unionists protesting against austerity measures formed a human chain to block the entrance to the Labor Ministry on Tuesday, delaying talks with Greece's foreign lenders. Dozens from the Communist-affiliated PAME group ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.reuters.com

Greek Junior Coalition Partner Unveils Alternative Cuts Plan


Greek Junior Coalition Partner Unveils Alternative Cuts Plan
Wall Street Journal
On Sunday, the troika rejected some EUR2 billion worth of austerity measures included in the Greek government's proposed austerity plan. This forced the three coalition partners--from the Democratic Left, conservative New Democracy and socialist Pasok ...
Greek PM assures ECB will get programme back on trackReuters UK
Greek PM Samaras visits ECBFXstreet.com
Finding a compromise: Harsh austerity plan or no rescue loanRT

all 290 news articles »

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT online.wsj.com

Greece suffering "merciless lashing," _ president


Hurriyet Daily News

Greece suffering "merciless lashing," _ president
The Associated Press
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's President Karolos Papoulias urged rescue creditors Tuesday to ease demands for more austerity, as debt inspectors reportedly pressed the government for tougher concessions on benefits and labor rights. "Up until now ...
Greece suffering "merciless lashing," – presidentHuffington Post
Enough 'merciless whipping' of Greece: presidentHurriyet Daily News

all 20 news articles »

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.google.com

Greece central govt budget gap falls, revenues struggle


Daily Mail

Greece central govt budget gap falls, revenues struggle
Reuters
Budget deficit narrows 34 pct y/y in Jan-Aug. * Tax revenue still 2 bln euro short of targets. * Greece steps up fight on tax evasion, calls banks to pay up (Adds details). ATHENS, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Cuts in public spending and investment helped ...
Greece's budget gap narrows in January-August, but revenues off trackEconomic Times
Shocking scale of tax-dodging bleeds Greece dry: Self-employed failed to pay ...Daily Mail

all 6 news articles »

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.reuters.com

Far-right Greek MPs Lose Police Protection


Greek Reporter

Far-right Greek MPs Lose Police Protection
Greek Reporter
Led by three MPs, Golden Dawn supporters in black glasses and black t-shirts overturned and broke tables manned by migrants at open-air markets held on Saturday at the central Greek towns of Messolongi and Rafina. Reacting to public criticism for ...
Greece: Police Deployed Outside Far-Right Party HQABC News

all 149 news articles »

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

Greek 'human chain' protest delays talks with lenders


Greek 'human chain' protest delays talks with lenders
Reuters
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek unionists protesting austerity measures formed a human chain to block the entrance to the Labor Ministry on Tuesday, forcing a delay in talks between ministry officials and the country's foreign lenders. The talks with ...
Athens ministry picketed ahead of austerity talksMyrtleBeachOnline.com

all 99 news articles »

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.reuters.com

Eurozone crisis live: Fresh protests in Greece; Spain resists bailout terms

Spanish PM tells TV interview he won't accept financial help if it comes with "concrete" demands for policy changes



READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.guardian.co.uk

Porsches and police cars rust in Greek government scrapyard – in pictures

In a sprawling yard in Athens, a yellow Porsche rusts among dusty motorcycles, police cars with bullet holes and wrecked city buses – telling images of one Greek government agency's slide into bureaucratic quagmire



READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.guardian.co.uk

Samaras to meet Draghi in Frankfurt

The prime minister will fly to Frankfurt on Tuesday for a meeting with the president of the European Central Bank.

Antonis Samaras is expected to meet Mario Draghi at 4pm Greek time.

The appointment comes after Draghi's announcement last week that the ECB could make “unlimited” purchases of sovereign bonds to ease the eurozone's debt crisis.

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.athensnews.gr

Troika send Greek coalition government back to the drawing board


Troika send Greek coalition government back to the drawing board
ForexLive (blog)
That's not going to go down well with the Greek coalition who wanted to avoid any direct sackings and go down the route of voluntary redundancies, but time is running short …. More…. ekathimerini. Share and Enjoy: RSS · Facebook · Twitter · LinkedIn ...

and more »

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.forexlive.com