The more I read about the Greek politicians’ remarks the more despicable they are. It seems to me that their arrogance know no boundaries. EU will be far better off to kick them out and teach them a lessons. IN few years EU will be far better off without the lazy communistic approach of Greek politicians
Greek Parties Lash Out At IMF Chief's Comments
27-May-2012
ATHENS (Dow Jones)--Two of Greece's largest political parties lashed out Sunday after the head of the International Monetary Fund said she has little sympathy with those who criticize the country's austerity program and believes the responsibility for maintaining public services in Greece lies with often-unwilling taxpayers.
The head of Greece's socialist party, Evangelos Venizelos, described IMF chief Christine Lagarde's comments as being "unacceptable and offensive," saying that he was glad she was forced to change them after drawing an angry reaction from Greeks.
"This shows that she was forced to take into account the reaction from a proud country and proud people," said Venizelos.
In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, Lagarde said Saturday that if Greeks wanted their children to have access to good health care and education, they should pay their taxes. That drew complaints from Facebook users, reportedly in the thousands.
"I think more of the little kids from a school in a little village in Niger who get teaching two hours a day, sharing one chair for three of them, and who are very keen to get an education," said the former French finance minister. "I have them in my mind all the time. Because I think they need even more help than the people in Athens."
Late Saturday, Lagarde then clarified on her Facebook page, saying that while she is very sympathetic to the Greek people, "everyone should carry their fair share of the burden."
The leftist Syriza party, Alexis Tsipras, said that Greek workers pay for overwhelmingly large taxes and "that the last thing Greece needs is her sympathy."
"For the tax cheats, she can turn to [socialists] Pasok and [conservatives] New Democracy for an explanation on why they haven't touched [holders of] large capital [amounts] and have been chasing the worker for two years," he said.
Along with the European Union, the IMF is funding Greece's second debt bailout program, worth EUR130 billion.
-By Stelios Bouras, Dow Jones Newswires; |
