Default by Greece Inevitable - Update : Heave to Oust Greece From the Eurozone

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

They should chew lots of garlic. Suppose to be good. Worked for Sir Dead Lenihan.

[Ephilant]

All this comes amidst rumours of serious unease withing the Samaras government. The meeting between Samaras, God Venizelos and Kouvelis planned for today has again been postponed because of disagreement between them over how to proceed.
Venizelos sees his beloved PASOK slipping closer to a 5% of the vote, and in real danger now of not meeting the required 3% to have a presence in the next parliament, so he has to be seen to do something popular. Nothing more popular than disagreeing with the Troika, despite agreeing to all they demanded before the lat opinion poll. Ditto with Kouvelis. Although his personal popularity is high, his party is facing annihilation next time around.
this explains why up to 20 MPs have let it be known that they will vote against the Troika package, leaving Samaras with not just egg, but frappe, yoghurt, sugar, cream, flour and anything else that comes to hand on his face if he dares come out in public.
so his office has leaked the news that a government re-shuffle is on the cards. Imminent...

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

It'll be interesting to watch the IMF/Troika starting to suggest a 'technocrat' government if Samaras' grip loosens any further.

Nana Mouskouri must be in with a chance of being Minister for Right Noises ... till the White Rose booms again etc etc The IMF won't even want to contemplate Alexis Tsipras. they might try to draft in Kevin Cardiff to assist.

[Ephilant]

It'll be interesting to watch the IMF/Troika starting to suggest a 'technocrat' government if Samaras' grip loosens any further.

Nana Mouskouri must be in with a chance of being Minister for Right Noises ... till the White Rose booms again etc etc The IMF won't even want to contemplate Alexis Tsipras. they might try to draft in Kevin Cardiff to assist.

Greek Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras has just announced that the talks with the Troika are in an impasse, and will continue AFTER the EU summit. Meaning, poor old Samaras is going there empty handed, after all his "hard work" bringing over Merkle to show support and bleeding hearts and all that (and costing the Greek tax payer in the region of 60 million euro in security expenses). Maybe, just maybe, we could dispatch Antonis to Europe with the bill for that ridiculous expense?

[Ephilant]

More trouble for Samaras.
a meeting between the minister for Finance Yiannis Stournaras and the representatives of the fuel suppliers ended in Stournaras insiting the price hike of some 50% in the price of home heating oil stands, as the government needs the money. The suppliers of fuel have now demanded a meeting between themselves and Samaras, Venizelos and Kouvelis, to force through their demands. What are those demands? 1 only.
The reversal of this insane tax hike, and returning the price of home heating fuel to its "normal" price, if not lower, because people simply haven't the money to buy the stuff. Until they get their meeting AND their demand, they simply refuse to stock, leave alone supply home heating oil. Some even mutter the possibility to buy and sell at the old prices and force the government to take legal action against them. Interesting week ahead for Samaras, who must be wondering why, after his self proclaimed "victory" in bringing Merkel to Greece, everything is suddenly going severely pear-shaped for him.

[MPB]

More trouble for Samaras.
a meeting between the minister for Finance Yiannis Stournaras and the representatives of the fuel suppliers ended in Stournaras insiting the price hike of some 50% in the price of home heating oil stands, as the government needs the money. The suppliers of fuel have now demanded a meeting between themselves and Samaras, Venizelos and Kouvelis, to force through their demands. What are those demands? 1 only.
The reversal of this insane tax hike, and returning the price of home heating fuel to its "normal" price, if not lower, because people simply haven't the money to buy the stuff. Until they get their meeting AND their demand, they simply refuse to stock, leave alone supply home heating oil. Some even mutter the possibility to buy and sell at the old prices and force the government to take legal action against them. Interesting week ahead for Samaras, who must be wondering why, after his self proclaimed "victory" in bringing Merkel to Greece, everything is suddenly going severely pear-shaped for him.

Samaras must be the most delusional leader in Europe.

His decision to bring Merkel to Athens, is akin to bringing Hitler to Tel Aviv.

[Ephilant]

The smelly stuff has hit the fan. Kouvelis (Democratic Left) has told the Troika in no uncertain terms what to do with their demands, and after discussions with his 17 MPs the party has decided to vote down the Troika demands in Parliament.
Venizelos is making similar noises, while it is already known that some 20 other MPS, a mix of PASOK and ND delegates have privately decided to also vote against.
With the complete DL block saying Nein, Samaras majority is reduced from 179 to 162. If he loses 13 other votes he's gone...

Watch this space!

[Ephilant]

Kouvelis full statement has been released, making for some very interesting times. He, and Democratic Left have decided to vote down all the Troika demands on Labour Laws. The rest, they are fine with, it would seem.
Sadly enough, the question asked is not yes or no to a, b, c, or d. the question isn't even yes or no. It situation has been made very clear by the Troika. Take it or leave it.
Just how Kouvelis sees the possibility of taking what suits him, and rejecting what will no doubt cost him votes, is a bit baffling to say the least. ditto for God Venizelos.
I think we are looking at some serious posturing and jockeying for pre election positions here. So do most commentators in Greece. Both Kouvelis and Venizelos have, through their recent attitudes lost whatever support they may have had. Especially Venizelos, who constantly goes into verbal diarrhea mode simply to prevent others from getting a word in sideways. And what he has to say make diarrhea look the better option by a mile...

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

I saw yesterday that talks broke down around 2.30-ish? Hear all sorts of strange things such as drunken ramblings by the Troika's monkey at hotel bars and Greek Ministers fainting from the pressure and so on.

I hope a fight breaks out. It'd be great for morale.

[fluffybiscuits]

The smelly stuff has hit the fan. Kouvelis (Democratic Left) has told the Troika in no uncertain terms what to do with their demands, and after discussions with his 17 MPs the party has decided to vote down the Troika demands in Parliament.
Venizelos is making similar noises, while it is already known that some 20 other MPS, a mix of PASOK and ND delegates have privately decided to also vote against.
With the complete DL block saying Nein, Samaras majority is reduced from 179 to 162. If he loses 13 other votes he's gone...

Watch this space!

Kouvelis full statement has been released, making for some very interesting times. He, and Democratic Left have decided to vote down all the Troika demands on Labour Laws. The rest, they are fine with, it would seem.
Sadly enough, the question asked is not yes or no to a, b, c, or d. the question isn't even yes or no. It situation has been made very clear by the Troika. Take it or leave it.
Just how Kouvelis sees the possibility of taking what suits him, and rejecting what will no doubt cost him votes, is a bit baffling to say the least. ditto for God Venizelos.
I think we are looking at some serious posturing and jockeying for pre election positions here. So do most commentators in Greece. Both Kouvelis and Venizelos have, through their recent attitudes lost whatever support they may have had. Especially Venizelos, who constantly goes into verbal diarrhea mode simply to prevent others from getting a word in sideways. And what he has to say make diarrhea look the better option by a mile...

A new general election could be in the fold in the coming months! The Troika will tell them that its either their way or the high way . Greece is going to undergo a transition of sorts.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

My bet (although I notice the Spanish let me down on their bailout request ... I suspect because Merkel was suggesting the 'line of credit' offer to get past the EU meeting coming up) is that the Troika will do everything it can to avoid a general election in Greece as they know the vote won't go to austerity.

I'd say they'll try to get Samaras and the President to agree to a technocrat government and try to skid past the nuisance of elections...

[Ephilant]

On a little, on the face of it, positive note:

Lavrentis Lavrentiadis, main shareholder in Proton Bank (one of the many we are all paying through the nose for) and another 27 people face charges relating to allegedly questionable loans of some 700 million euros made by the lender to Lavrentiadis’s group of companies.

The charges include fraud, embezzlement, forming a criminal gang, money laundering and breach of faith.

This comes as a result of the "Lagarde List", rapidly becoming as famous as the "Siemens List", and for the very same reasons. Possible with the very same names on it as well....

I think God Venizelos is regretting having finally produced the list. In a separate investigation, the fraud prosecutors asked the previous fraud prosecutors why they didn't act on the list when they received it 2 years ago. Kapeleris, said he only got 10 out of the 2000 names, and they were investigated. Diotis, who succeeded Kapeleris as prosecutor specifically named Venizelos as "not having asked him, nor giving him the list".... As his defense, Venizelos is now questioning both the authenticity and the validity of the list.

[Ephilant]

Lots happening in Athens today. Many thousands of civil servants, including hospital doctors, public transport workers, air flight controllers etc. have descended on the capital to let Samaras and his bunch of muppets know what they think of them and the situation they help maintain.
Again, the riot police is also out in force (4000 of them), and they have once again closed both Syntagma and Panepistimio metro stations to limit access to the area around the parliament. The unions have however changed tack a little, and are organizing simultaneous protests in Thessaloniki, Patras, and other cities around the place. This will force the riot police to reduce their numbers everywhere in order to be present everywhere.
All the ferries are docked, and the seamen are joining in the protest. Not a taxi to be had in the capital (what is poor mr Thomsen going to do now, walk?), the police have erected a metal fence at the Vas. Sofias Avenue end of the parliament while local report that almost all the shops are closed. that's the ones that are still open, of course.
On that note, a local shop owner told me yesterday that, with the agreement of her landlord, she had not paid rent for over 2 years, because she simply cannot afford it. The landlord, also local, knows what the story is and told her to make a living first, worry about the rest later. (Wise man). The landlord is now being pursued by the revenue for taxes on the rent he didn't charge or get. Not their problem.... These clowns would rather see that shop closed and another family in destitute poverty than accept that people do sometimes have the common sense to help each other out.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

The unions have however changed tack a little, and are organizing simultaneous protests in Thessaloniki, Patras, and other cities around the place. This will force the riot police to reduce their numbers everywhere in order to be present everywhere.

Brilliant- the Greek unions have it. I recall arguing against 'official' marches in Dublin because they turned into a parade of pointlessness and an opportunity for Gardai to earn money for standing around.

Diversion tactics- roving demos popping up in different locations- false alarms etc. Run the police around and make 'em sweat for their money from their masters.

[Ephilant]

It is now official, just been announced in Athens. On November 14th, all unions in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece will come out on general strike.
What about you boys? surely some of you have not gone into permanent hibernation yet?