Germans In Shock As New Greek Leader Starts With A Bang

[Purveyor]

(Reuters) - In his first act as prime minister on Monday, Alexis Tsipras visited the war memorial in Kaisariani where 200 Greek resistance fighters were slaughtered by the Nazis in 1944.

The move did not go unnoticed in Berlin. Nor did Tsipras's decision hours later to receive the Russian ambassador before meeting any other foreign official.

Then came the announcement that radical academic Yanis Varoufakis, who once likened German austerity policies to "fiscal waterboarding", would be taking over as Greek finance minister. A short while later, Tsipras delivered another blow, criticising an EU statement that warned Moscow of new sanctions.

The assumption in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's entourage before Sunday's Greek election was that Tsipras, the charismatic leader of the far-left Syriza party, would eke out a narrow victory, struggle to form a coalition, and if he managed to do so, shift quickly from confrontation to compromise mode.

Instead, after cruising to victory and clinching a fast-track coalition deal with the right-wing Independent Greeks party, he has signalled in his first days in office that he has no intention of backing down, unsettling officials in Berlin, some of whom admit to shock at the 40-year-old's fiery start.

MORE...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/us-greece-politics-germany-idUSKBN0L121R20150128

[dballance]

1. I cannot say this enough. Screw Merkel and Germany.

It is about time a government said FU to the IMF, and the ECB.

[quadrature]

2. but then... the EU, ECB, IMF, will pull the plug on the money

Greek banks will fail.
Greek business will grind to a halt.
their will be food riots

[Vincardog]

3. And German Banks would not get repaid outrageous interest notes.

[quadrature]

4. after four years of this..... my guess is, the Eurozone has a plan to get rid of Greece

just my opinion

[iandhr]

5. Though I am no fan of the IMF or EU austerity

It's important to remember that Greece brought some of their problems on themselves. The key word being some.

[jalan48]

6. WWII Reparations

I think the wily Greek leader is going to use WWII reparations as a bargaining chip with Germany. Greeks have been smart for a longer time than most of our forefathers and mothers. Mine were probably still living in caves when Plato was writing.

[Purveyor]

7. I read a bit on that a couple of days ago (reparations/loan) but didn't have

the time to follow through.

Would like to know more if you care to share...

[jalan48]

10. Link

Here's a link to an article that discusses it. I hope he can make it work.
http://www.dw.de/greece-tallies-up-the-wwii-reparations-bill/a-18224874

[DeSwiss]

8. K&R

- It's all going according to plan. Muahhhhahahahahahahahahaha...........






So what do you think of BRICVAG?

[Sparhawk60]

9. Good for Him!

Imagine, running on a platform, getting elected based on your platform, and then following it. It seems the like 1% can actually push the peasants too far. I just hope Greece's attitude spreads.