National Unity government to be formed in Greece / Greek General Elections

**DCon** · 23-06-2012, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by Ephilant

Work is a 4-letter word for most politicians, but for a Greek one it's an absolute sickening horror.
Samaras is in hospital because he suffers from retinal detachment, the new finance minister just fainted. They probably weren't wearing their rosy-tinted shades when looking at the country's books and bank accounts, and got the shock of their lives.
Strange though, as they are the ones who inflicted this on the country, they should have known...

The Troika have put their visit on hold as the lads are sick

The health problems of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and new Finance Minister Vassilis Rapanos this weekend are changing the government’s timetable and postponing the visit of the representatives of Greece’s creditors by a week.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w...06/2012_448673

**Ephilant** · 24-06-2012, 09:51 AM

What a bunch! Both Samaras (PM) and Rapanos (FinMin) have been effectively put out of business by the medical profession over their conditions. Samaras has been told he can't travel,not by plane, boat, car, train or even wheelchair. He has to stay put and be "immobile" until further notice. Although Rapanos is recovering well, nobody has actually told us what took him out in the first place. But he too is not allowed to travel etc., in fact, he's being kept under observation in hospital.
With the next EU summit happening on June 28-29th, both the boys have been denied their first freebees in 5 star hotels etc. these are now going to caretaker PM Giorgos Zannias and alternate FinMin Dimitris Staikouras.
I can't help but think the medico's are doing us a huge favour, and wonder if this is possibly "revenge" for all but annihilating health care in this country?

**fluffybiscuits** · 24-06-2012, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Ephilant

What a bunch! Both Samaras (PM) and Rapanos (FinMin) have been effectively put out of business by the medical profession over their conditions. Samaras has been told he can't travel,not by plane, boat, car, train or even wheelchair. He has to stay put and be "immobile" until further notice. Although Rapanos is recovering well, nobody has actually told us what took him out in the first place. But he too is not allowed to travel etc., in fact, he's being kept under observation in hospital.
With the next EU summit happening on June 28-29th, both the boys have been denied their first freebees in 5 star hotels etc. these are now going to caretaker PM Giorgos Zannias and alternate FinMin Dimitris Staikouras.
I can't help but think the medico's are doing us a huge favour, and wonder if this is possibly "revenge" for all but annihilating health care in this country?

*Medics tell Press "Im a left winger at heart" *

http://www.startribune.com/business/160161175.html

The foreign minister is now head of the delegation. What is he like Eliphant?

**ang** · 24-06-2012, 05:08 PM

Same old same old - Schaeuble: New govt of Samaras must quickly put into effect the program that has been agreed, fully and without further delays, instead of asking again what others can do about it" (H/T Efthimia Efthimiou)

At least they are asking Mr Schaeuble and surely that is what partners do ? Ask, Discuss, Decide

**Ephilant** · 24-06-2012, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by fluffybiscuits

*Medics tell Press "Im a left winger at heart" *

http://www.startribune.com/business/160161175.html

The foreign minister is now head of the delegation. What is he like Eliphant?

Well, this might just throw some light on why the boys are throwing a sicky right now.

http://www.tovima.gr/finance/article/?aid=463760

Basically what this is is copy of a finding by the permanent representatives of the Troika in Athens who have found that contrary to the agreement sof 2010-2011, the famous Memorandum of Understanding, the Greek government did not only not reduce the amount of civil servants it had working for it, it INCREASED the total amount by no less than 82,000 units, 70,000 direct and 12,000 through employment in the "municipalities".
And of course, as a signatory to the MoU and accepting PERSONAL responsiblity for it's implementation, good old Samaras could find himself in a bit of a pickle here.
And his co-signatory, God himself Mr. Venizelos has of course very cutely declined the post of deputy PM, and any other post in this government. He was also Minister for Finance when those 82,000 jobs were handed out...

So not only do we have our minister for foreign affairs Avramopoulos, who can only be described as a hardline rightwing version of Michael McDowell, respresenting Greece at the summit, he is amply assisted by the current FinMin Giorgos Zannias, the man who through his big mouth triggered the bank run. At some stage he "mispoke" and said out loud that the plan was to just take tax arrears out of the bank accounts of those who could afford it. One has to warn ones friends when things are about to happen...

It looks like bad marks for the government installed by the EU on top of everything else. I think I would throw a sicky as well....

**Ephilant** · 25-06-2012, 02:05 PM

Ooops. One more bruised ego Greek politics.
The EU complained and made it very clear that the boys throwing a sicky is no reason for the Greek government to send the waterboy. Avramopoulos is not welcome at the EU summit. It is for heads of state only. So now they get to meet our president Papoulias in person. I wonder, will he bring his flag to wrap himself in if somebody says something nasty? With Schauble lurking in the background, that is always a possibility of course.
The other little matter here is that the President hasn't even got a Parliament yet to report back to. They haven't been sworn in becasue the boss is ill...
Why do I get visions of a bad game of "charades" here...

**DCon** · 25-06-2012, 03:59 PM

Finance Minister has stepped down, before stepping up

http://www.forexlive.com/blog/2012/0...ister-resigns/

**Ephilant** · 25-06-2012, 04:04 PM

The books must have been really bad to do that to the man. But then, as the former governer of the National Bank and all that, he must have had some idea. At least he didn't lamp us with a blanket bank guarantee, we can still sink them if we want to.

**Baron von Biffo** · 25-06-2012, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by DCon

Finance Minister has stepped down, before stepping up

http://www.forexlive.com/blog/2012/0...ister-resigns/

Would that Lenihan had done the same.

**Ephilant** · 25-06-2012, 05:39 PM

Veni has the solution!
As soon as Samaras can see with both eyes again, they are going to put a trans-atlantic roadshow together to go and visit Brussels, Frankfurt, Paris, but also Washington and other places worth seeing in the US to convince skeptical lenders that Greece is well worth investing in, because this government means business.
The road show will be hosted by non other than Venizelos himself of course, Kouvelis and indeed Samaras, the eagle eyed PM.
Meaning that there is every chance that every time the troika or its representatives want to see either one or both of the signatories to the MoU, the roadshow will just happen to be somewhere else. And as they only talk to heads of government, they will be happily entertained by the borderline senile Papoulias, who will probably drape himself in the Greek flag for the occasion