Update to:
Eurozone Crisis: Are the Europeans sorting it out? – Christine Lagarde
Though I haven’t read the Greek papers: To my untrained eye the letters seem like the dagger and stars that in my childhood denoted foul language in the comics.
The socialist party chairman Evangelos Venizelos:
– Lagarde ”has insulted the Greeks “.
– ”I encourage her to check and consider what she wanted to say.”
The radical left Alexis Tsipras:
– His countrymen already paid “unbearable” taxes.
– “The last thing we need is her pity”.
– As to tax-evaders she should turn to the socialists and conservatives whose government up to now has held their hand over “the Big Money”.
Thinks she shouldn’t have said that.
Christine Lagarde responds on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/christinelagarde
Quote:
“As I have said many times before, I am very sympathetic to the Greek people and the challenges they are facing. That’s why the IMF is supporting Greece in its endeavor to overcome the current crisis and return to the path of economic growth, jobs and stability. An important part of this effort is that everyone should carry their fair share of the burden, especially the most privileged and especially in terms of paying their taxes. That is the point I was emphasizing when I spoke to the Guardian newspaper as part of a broader interview some time ago.”
Comment:
(Yup my impression of Greek seems to be correct.)
In the first place there is nothing new, nor untrue about what Lagarde said.
Secondly: Greeks feeling insulted is turning things upside down.
Thirdly: If the Guardian doesn’t like the answer, they shouldn’t have asked – but then the interview would have concentrated on her former swimming career.
No the significant observation is that the conservative Nea Demokratia has apparently felt no desire whatsoever to come with a rebuttal or even a comment.
