Meeting with Tsipras: Why Merkel no Greek politician familiar – THE WORLD

Late Alexis Tsipras comes to Berlin. A month ago who always demonstratively occurring without a tie 40-year-old had been chosen to be composed of left- and right-wing populist majority of the Greek Prime Minister. But only this Monday leads his way to Berlin – previously he had Germany, after all, the most important creditor of his country, shunned almost ostentatiously

Merkel him wearing this. not after. Just as little as the anti-German resentment that fueled his party then targeted SYRIZA and the media during the election campaign and beyond. If the Chancellor have annoyed they can not show it: Tsipras is received at the chancellery in the same friendly and business-like work environment like any other foreign head of state also

At a press conference, which takes place in the early evening between an initial interview and a later meal that sounds so: Germany had” close and friendly relations with Greece, yes, “many people here with Greek roots” were “something as a living bridge to Greece “.

The niceties have nothing to do with the fact that the learned physicist Merkel and studied engineering Tsipras connect very much. Rather, applies to it in relation to foreign heads of state and government of the same principle as at home with party leaders of coalition partners: Elect is elected Merkel takes each one as it comes.. Even Genghis Khan Merkel had sought a business-like relationship, she would have been at the time of the Mongol invasion already Chancellor.

Only Tsipras echo the violent verbal confrontations of the past weeks: “I think this meeting is very important because we need to better understand us it. is no other way to overcome difficulties. “

Tsipras beside a stoic straight-looking Chancellor

In a unusually long statement that slides into the lecture-like and very self-conscious acts in addition to a host who, in turn, briefly summarized, Tsipras designs no less than his worldview: The last five years of the recovery programs were “not a success story” for his country. Rather, the austerity had “a devastating impact on our economy” and led to “social unrest” would have. Only then is the Prime Minister “internal causes of the enormous crisis in Greece” to. He now wants to “reach a new policy mix to eliminate these evils.”

Tsipras said in addition to a stoic straight-looking chancellor, he wanted to “necessary fiscal implement adjustments “. The happy one hears in Berlin. But in the same breath he also refers to “social justice” that he wanted to create in Greece. So it was an end of austerity? Tsipras committed one hand to “contract compliance” of his country, but also noted the other hand, the “respect for democracy”. During the election campaign had his party, SYRIZA, the promised redemption of numerous Greek commitments.

Whether Merkel believes these ambiguous messages? A confession that they do not trust the new Greek government as its also very experienced Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU) publicly escaped a week ago, is unthinkable for Merkel. It would not make sense.

For Merkel also has the bourgeois predecessors of Tsipras never really trusted. The detached from his conservative Antonis Samaras as they gave up heated discussions at the meeting of the Conservative Party leader, who heads the EU councils. Samaras had tried as an opposition politician and smaller coalition partners to thwart the reform policies of his socialist predecessor. But when he was elected prime minister, was of Merkel forget everything.

Merkel insists on monitoring the Greek reforms

Also Tsipras they are – at least verbally – a leap of faith: it emphasizes the German interest in a strong performance in Greece:” We want Greece is strong, has growth comes mainly from the high unemployment “. Merkel also expressed its willingness with the new leftist government of the country together. It trusts the Chancellor – you have to put it that way so sharply -. No Greek politician

This is why it is made so that the institutions now called troika So officials from the European Central Bank (ECB), the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Greek governments monitor fragmented. Yes, it was Merkel, who asserted that the Americans by the IMF are:. She believes they were less likely politically influenced than the representatives of European organizations

At one point, you can even out the sentences she speaks Tsipras, read out a special aloofness from two-bay”. It is both to us that we me in any case that we find a trusting relationship, “says them. And: “. We are both believe Germany is in any case that Europe is a work of peace”

Tsipras’s letter was not confidence-building

To build confidence of the Greek side have to comply with Tsipras not contributed that were just announced on the day of his visit. In the sent letter a week ago by the “Financial Times” made public on Monday, he urges Merkel to implicitly, to put pressure on the ECB. In fact, this is currently increasing the ceiling for emergency loans only gradually, with which the Bank of Greece artificially keeping the standing on the edge of bankruptcy Greek banks alive.

But would not know that the independence of the central bank is not only for Merkel’s understanding fundamental to the functioning of the euro area Tsipras? And he would not at least have employees who could explain to him that this was also a sacred promise of politics in Germany? The ECB should work as independent as the decades so successful Bundesbank. Publicly demanding of Merkel influence on ECB chief Mario Draghi therefore seems very unwise

Before the German -. And numerous published Greek press – tries Tsipras, reduce “stereotypes”: “Neither the Greeks are lazy, yet the Germans are to blame for the ills in Greece,” he says. Then he gives a portion of the threat of force, has built his party in Greece, from: The question of possible reparations from the time of World War II, he excludes expropriation: “There are not a member of the Greek government, which would intend to address to seize German property. You can forget that. ” The debate, however, must be done even if the “democratic Germany”, “nothing to do with the Germany of the Third Reich” was.

Merkel in turn repeats the known position: Complete The reparations were legally and politically. Germany is aware of its responsibility. The question of a journalist, if not the future fund could be increased for reconciliation projects, as required by parts of Merkel’s coalition partner, the SPD, she answered quickly, “I can not put anything in sight.”