How much money owes Germany Greece? This question is to answer a commission of experts commissioned by the Greek Ministry of Finance. According to a press report, it comes to a clear conclusion: Just for a Forced credit , which Greece granted during the German occupation in World War II, Berlin would have to repay the country eleven billion euros. Experts describe the facts as “indisputable”.
As the newspaper “To Vima” reports, the confidential 160-page report last Thursday was handed Finance Gikas Hardouvelis in Athens , Three months, the experts had worked on it. Next, Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos to obtain the document.
According to the newspaper report on “very conservative” estimates that could be “seems improbable denied” based. The experts emphasize that the forced loan should be considered independently of the demands for world war reparations that are challenged by Germany. Greek estimates, it is more than 100 billion euros for the reparations to .
During a demand for repayment of the reparations is very controversial, forced credit as may legitimate demand is valid from the time of the German occupation among economic historians. This is a loan from the Greek central bank over 1.5 trillion drachmas to the German Empire and its allies Italy. The repayment was supposed to begin after the war.
“Germany is our debtors”
A first draft of the report of the Government was present in the spring of 2013 was but then with reference to the upcoming federal elections initially not used. Despite public pressure, the government in Athens has also maintained her silence after that – presumably to avoid a conflict with Berlin
The new report comes at a delicate time. In Greece, stand on January 25 parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has to fear losing his majority – a good chance to replace him, has Alexis Tsipras from the Left Alliance Syirza . SYRIZA wants to negotiate not only an international debt relief for the country but also threatens order to confront Germany with the demands of the Second World War.
“No government has been discussed, but we will do it” said SYRIZA spokesman Panos Skourletis SPIEGEL ONLINE. The leftward movement insists to separate the discussion of world war debts of the debate on the bailout for the country. The one shall be a bilateral Topic between Germany and Greece, the other a problem of entire euro zone , said Yannis Dragasakis, which is traded as finance minister a SYRIZA government.
Greece since the crisis began in early 2010 loans of more than 200 billion euros get out of the euro countries and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Germany is around 65 billion euros largest lender. SYRIZA wants to terminate the measures in exchange reform agreements in the event of an election victory.
“Mr Schäuble said that the next Greek government should in the sense of continuity with the obligations of the country are” Politicians Dragasakis told SPIEGEL ONLINE. “I agree with him that there is a continuity of the State , but no continuity of policy decisions.” The argument must be applied in both directions, calls Dragasakis. “Germany owes Greece a credit to the payment has forced during the occupation in the Second World War the country. But just because Germany is our debtors, we do not require too, that we may a say in German politics.”
The sum of eleven billion euros, which is called the government’s report, is a lot of money for a small economy like Greece. It corresponds to about six percent of annual economic output. The sum would almost exactly cover the cost of the benefits that SYRIZA has promised his constituents in the event of a takeover as emergency measures.
No comments:
Post a Comment