Greek Prime-Minister to EU: ''Re-read Hemingway’s masterpiece, ''For Whom the Bell Tolls''''

• 06.04.2015, 11:36
•  Europe,  World

The European Union comes to face ''the Greek problem'' over and over again. Despite the years of different discussions and negotiations, there is yet no concrete way to get out of this situation. Europe seems to be tired and fed up with Greece, which seems to be offended from the so-called ''indifference'' of Europe.

According to the Prime-Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras, the issue of Greece does not only concern Greece, rather, it is the very epicenter of conflict between the two diametrically opposing strategies concerning the future of European unification. The first strategy, as it is written in the official website of the European Parliament, aims to deepen European unification in the context of equality, solidarity and democracy between its people and citizens, and the other one calls for rupture and division. The question is which strategy will prevail in the end.

However, the leaders of Germany and France, along with Greece's international creditor institutions, agreed late on Monday to work with "real intensity" in the coming days to try to reach a deal with the Greek government that could prevent it defaulting on its debt, as Greece is still a cause for concern for markets.

The matter is that Greece faces a 300 million euro payment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but there are doubts the country can honor the debt without further financial aid.

Europe's top policymakers, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the President of France Francois Hollande, and the head of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi, held an emergency summit in Berlin the other day to discuss a deal, as they see the consequences of a Greek bankruptcy "gigantic" for Europe, The Telegraph reports.

On June 3, Tsipras met the European creditors, namely the head of the European Commission Jean-Clode Juncker, during which the Greek government introduced its proposals about the reforms to be made. Despite the four-hour discussions, no tangible results were recorded and it was declared that another meeting will take place in the coming days.

As for the European side, some experts notice that though some efforts still have to be made "on both sides'', the discussions at this stage seem to be fruitful and there is a real progress with a better understanding by both the Greek government and its creditors.

According to Eurostat’s data, Greece became the EU country with the highest index of social inequality, and over the past five years the unemployment rate climbed to 28% (60% for young people), average income decreased by 40%. The new Greek government’s main goal during these last four months has been to put an end to this vicious cycle, an end to this uncertainty.

In an interview with the French ''Le Mond'' Greece’s Prime-Minister Alexis Tsipras declared that a final solution to the Greek problem is now even more mature and more necessary than ever.

''If some, however, think or want to believe that this decision concerns only Greece, they are making a grave mistake. I would suggest that they re-read Hemingway’s masterpiece, ''For Whom the Bell Tolls'', Tsipras said.

Anyway, should we call it a ''cash for reforms'' or some other name, today, Europe has the opportunity to contribute to the rapid recovery of the Greek and European economy. And according to the Greek side, the EU should end the Grexit scenarios, which prevent the long-term stabilization of the European economy and may, at any given time, weaken the confidence of both citizens and investors in their common currency.