German FinMin: Blatant Intervention in Greece’s Democratic Procedures

Wolfgang Schaeuble

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Economy

The boldness of some EU so-called “partners” of Greece has apparently no limits. Just hours before the Eurogroup teleconference on Wednesday evening and after conservative coalition partner Antonis Samaras sent his written commitments to the country’s lenders, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble made a blatant intervention in Greece’s democratic procedures. In fact, he denied the Greeks of self-determination and the right to chose their governments through parliamentary elections, fearing .

In an interview to German regional radio SWR2, Schaeuble expressed concerns about how to secure Greece’s commitments after the parliamentary elections most likely to take place in upcoming April.

Germany’s Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Wednesday he was very concerned about how to ensure that Greece stuck to implementing austerity measures it is agreeing with international creditors after likely elections in April.

“When you look at the internal political discussions in Greece and the opinion polls, then you have to ask who will really guarantee after the elections… — and I find this very alarming –… that Greece continues to stand by what we are now agreeing with Greece,” Schaeuble told SWR2 radio.

“I am also not yet sure that all political parties in Greece are aware of their responsibility for the difficult situation their country is in,” Schaeuble said, adding the EU remained committed to helping Greece if it honoured its promises. (Reuters)

Well, that’s one of the risks about democracy: you know only after the elections with whom you have to deal with. A lesson that Greeks have learned by heart in the last five years. It’s time for the Christian-Democrat Finance Minister to learn this lesson too. Unless he would rather cancel any democratic procedures in this country (or) until Greece has paid back its debt. read more...