Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus Sez: “We Should Withdraw from the Union”

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Archbishop Chrysostomos Demetriou of Nova Justiniana and all Cyprus said that his country should withdraw from the EU, as the EU would cease to exist in the future, as its coming apart. Vladyki Chrysostomos said in an interview with Pervy Kanal (Первый канал: Channel One), “Currently, the economies of Spain, Portugal, and Italy are in danger. If the Italian economy goes down, just like our economy, the EU won’t withstand it. The people who rule the EU, particularly, those making decisions in the so-called troika, don’t understand many things; that’ll lead to the collapse of the EU. This is why I believe we [Cyprus] should withdraw from the union before the collapse takes place”.

On Monday, the finance ministers of the 17-nation Eurozone agreed to a 10-billion Euro (399 billion Roubles. 12.9 billion USD. 8.5 billion UK Pounds) deal for Cyprus to rescue the island nation and its oversized banking sector from financial collapse. The new deal forces the holders of accounts of over 100,000 Euros (3.99 million Roubles. 128,400 USD. 84,300 UK Pounds) to take losses that could amount to 30 to 40 percent of their deposits. The ministers expect the new deal to yield some 4.2 billion Euros (137.5 billion Roubles. 5.4 billion USD. 3.5 billion UK Pounds) to allow Cyprus, which is currently teetering on the brink of default, to obtain 10 billion Euros in financial aid from the troika of international lenders. The so-called troika of creditors are the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission, and the ECB.

31 March 2013

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/world/20130331/180359765/Archbishop-of-Cyprus-Says-His-Country-Should-Quit-EU.html

 

Unemployment Breaks Records in Greece

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On Thursday, the national statistical service Elstat reported that unemployment in Greece beat the previous record by growing to 27 percent in November 2012. Young people were the hardest hit. Unemployment was at 61.7 percent amongst young people under 24 not studying in university. Greece is carrying out an austerity policy in exchange for loans from the EU and the IMF. Cutting budget expenditures resulted in a dramatic fall in the domestic GDP. Greece has been in the grip of recession for nearly six years.

14 February 2013

Voice of Russia World Service

http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_02_14/Unemployment-beats-records-in-Greece/

Editor’s Note:

THIS is what the Republican Party wants in the USA. They want assured dividends and profits for their fatcat supporters, with all the pain to go to the working class. That’s objectively evil… do mistrust all who march under the Republican banner, especially those who call themselves “Pro-Lifers”… they’re nothing of the sort. They’re all for shredding the social safety net and they support vile rightwing pigs such as Darrell Issa.

This cries out to heaven for vengeance…

BMD 

Ieronymos Criticises Berlin’s Handling of Eurozone Crisis

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On Friday, in Athens, Archbishop Ieronymos Liapis, the First Hierarch of the Church of Greece, criticised Berlin’s handling of the Eurozone debt crisis, adding that Greece won’t “sell off” its dignity, saying, “What kind of Europe do we want? A German Europe or a European Germany?” Greece’s most senior cleric spoke during a meeting with Hans-Joachim Fuchtel, a German state secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, as well as with members of the Diakonie Federation of Voluntary Welfare. Ieronymos said, “We welcome our partners’ help, but under one condition… we must maintain our dignity. We have our own history and culture; we can’t sell it out”.

7 December 2012

Kathimerini

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_07/12/2012_473498

Greece Loses 400,000 Civil Service Jobs to Crisis

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On Thursday, Greek Administrative Reform Minister Antonis Maniatakis said that the number of Greek civil servants fell by 400,000 over three years of crisis. He told a parliamentary hearing that there were nearly a million civil servants in 2009, but now there are just 640,000. He added that as more than 40,000 are due to be pensioned off before the end of the year, no more than 600,000 will be left. Maniatakis believes that the state should move more government employees into sectors such as the police, education, local administration, and healthcare. Wage and personnel cuts in a number of public sectors are part of new austerity measures approved by parliament last week, but civil servants vigorously opposed them. According to Euronews, Kostas Tsikrikas of government employee union ADEDY said, “We continue our battle to demand from the government that there isn’t a single layoff in the public sector”. Civil service employees have seen their salaries cut 40 percent since 2010 and their holiday bonuses scrapped.

22 November 2012

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/business/20121122/177673028.html

Editor’s Note:

”Reform” in ”Rightspeak” means that ordinary people take it in the neck so that the Affluent Effluent can party on undisturbed, without any sacrifices or belt-tightening. In their eyes, they’re the “makers” and we’re the “takers”. If that’s so, why is it that they have the above-average incomes and that they don’t do any actual work themselves? Just wonderin’…

BMD

 

Greek Court Rules Pension “Reform” Might Be Unconstitutional

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The financial newspaper Naftemporiki reported that Greece’s Court of Audit ruled that increasing the retirement age, cutting pensions, and cancelling bonuses could be unconstitutional. The vast majority of the court members ruled that the finance ministry’s proposals to increase the retirement age by two years to 67 years, cut pensions by 5-15 percent, and abolish Christmas and Easter bonuses for retirees contradicted the constitution’s provisions about the state’s social security duties. The proposed pension cuts were the fifth since the country received its first bailout tranche in May 2010.

The Court of Audit, which combines the roles of an administrative body and a supreme administrative court, has the duty of vetting laws before they’re submitted for a parliamentary vote. The court convened for an emergency meeting ahead of the parliament vote on austerity measures. However, its recommendations aren’t obligatory, and lawmakers can disregard them during the vote due next week. The austerity package is crucial for secure another tranche of 31.5 billion Euros (1.275 trillion Roubles. 40.5 billion USD. 25.2 billion UK Pounds) from the group of international lenders. Greece expects its next tranche of financial aid by mid-November. Until now, the creditors refused to grant the bailout unless Greece implements a new round of budgetary cuts and tax increases.

2 November 2012

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/world/20121102/177127719.html

Editor’s Note:

Look at what the rightwing calls “reform”… kicking low-income seniors in the teeth so that the fatcat Affluent Effluent can party on undisturbed. That’s EVIL… bear in mind that the Republican Party wants to do the same here in the USA. Ponder that well before marking your ballot on Election Day.

BMD

Troika Demands that Greece Fire All Its Tax Collectors

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The troika of Greece’s foreign creditors demanded that the Greek government fire all of the tax collectors from the Finance Ministry in a move to make the tax collectors service more efficient and corruption-free. The demand is part of a confidential memorandum now being drawn up by the EU, the European Central Bank, and the IMF. The document will decide the issue of another bailout tranche, without which the debt-stricken country won’t be able to service its foreign debt, forcing it to declare sovereign default.

23 October 2012 (MSK)

Voice of Russia World Service

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_10_23/Troika-demands-all-Greek-tax-collectors-be-fired/