Resolution of the Reparations Issue

ATHENS/BERLIN (Own report) – The Prime Minister of Greece, Alexis Tsipras has announced a new initiative to force Germany to pay reparations and compensations to Greece. During a memorial service for the victims of a massacre committed by the German Wehrmacht in the western Greek village of Kommeno, on Tuesday, Tsipras declared that, should the Germany government persist in refusing to pay reparations, Athens will seek “through diplomatic channels – and if necessary at the judicial level – ” to take action against Berlin. In early September, the Greek parliament is scheduled to discuss a recently completed report quantifying the German reparations debt at 269 billion Euros. German government assertions that the reparations issue has been “closed” are unfounded. In fact, payment of the binding 1946 reparations sum, recognized by the London Debt Agreement of February 1953, had been deferred, but not annulled. Only a fraction of it has been paid. As confirmed by Horst Teltschik, former advisor to Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Bonn had sought to evade its reparations obligations by explicitly not qualifying the 2 + 4 Treaty a “Peace Treaty.” It had been feared that, with a peace treaty, suddenly “reparations demands from over 50 countries would land on the table,” Teltschik explained.

‘We have been betrayed!’ Protest turns violent as Greece votes

 

Athens (AFP) – Firebombs thrown by furious anti-austerity protesters exploded in front of Greece’s parliament Wednesday as anger over a new bailout deal spilled onto the streets of the capital.

As lawmakers prepared to vote on the unpopular deal, police fired tear gas to push back dozens of hooded and masked protesters, who threw rocks and stones as they chanted angrily in Syntagma square.

“We have been betrayed!” shouted a man in a balaclava, as police used pepper spray and gas to stop a crowd breaching a security line blocking off the road to the prime minister’s office.

Varoufakis: Greek Deal Is “Coup”, Turns Greece Into “Vassal” State, And Deals “Decisive Blow” To European Project

For those curious to know what Yanis thinks about the deal, below are some “impressionistic thoughts” from the man himself. Highlights include the characterization of the Greek deal as a “decisive blow against the Euorpean project”, a “statement confirming that Greece acquiesces to becoming a vassal of the Eurogroup”, and the “culmination of a coup”.*  *  *

On the Euro Summit’s Statement on Greece: First thoughts via Yanis Varoufakis

In the next hours and days, I shall be sitting in Parliament to assess the legislation that is part of the recent Euro Summit agreement on Greece. I am also looking forward to hearing in person from my comrades, Alexis Tsipras and Euclid Tsakalotos, who have been through so much over the past few days. Till then, I shall reserve judgment regarding the legislation before us. Meanwhile, here are some first, impressionistic thoughts stirred up by the Euro Summit’s Statement.

US defends unruly Greece as Europe steps up ‘Grexit’ threats

Germany’s vice-chancellor said “zero chances” that his country will respond to Greek demand for Nazi war reparations

Europe’s creditor powers have reacted with fury as Greece presses ahead with plans to smash its EU-IMF Troika programme and demand war reparations for Nazi occupation, raising the risk of a traumatic rupture with Athens by the end of the month.

Wolfgang Schauble, Germany’s finance minister, said there could be no bridging agreement for the radical Syriza government, insisting that it must stick rigidly to the terms of Greece’s €245bn bail-out package and secure a negotiated extension, or face the consequences. “If they want to deal with us, they need a programme,” he said.

He issued a clear warning to the new Greek premier Alexis Tsipras that his country will be left penniless in a hostile world. “I don’t know how financial markets will handle it, but maybe he knows better,” he said.

Domino Effect

BERLIN/THESSALONIKI (Own report) – Berlin and the EU are massively violating Greece’s sovereignty to secure their political domination over Southeastern Europe. As was revealed by documents from the Athens-based Troika, with two German functionaries in the leadership, the government in Athens has received instructions on how to bypass the Greek Parliament. To counteract the foreseeable consequences of this interference – which is provoking protests and strengthening the camp of the opposition parties – Berlin is handing out money to Greek journalists, religious representatives, and artists. This interference is targeting the Greek public to neutralize the growing demands for restitution of debts stemming from Nazi crimes. It is also aimed at undermining the lawsuit against the Federal Republic of Germany, filed by Thessaloniki’s Jewish community. The German foreign ministry is in control of the payments to network the Greek “civil society” with the German elite.

Europe to Seize Greece’s Gold

According to the fine print of a treaty signed on February 21, the European Union now has the power to seize Greece’s gold reserves. The modifications the EU is forcing into the Greek constitution vest Greece’s creditors, mainly European banks and the European Central Bank, with the authority to take gold from the Bank of Greece.

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“This is the first time ever that a European and probably an O.E.C.D. state abdicates its rights of immunity over all its assets to its lenders,” said Greek Member of Parliament Louka Katseli, who drew attention to the potential gold seizure.

Full article: Europe to Seize Greece’s Gold (The Trumpet)