Photo of the Day: Greece at the Helm of the European Union

 The official logo of Greece's 5th Presidency of the EU 

Today's official commencement ceremony marks the assumption by Greece of  the rotating  presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) on January 1, 2014, for the next six months.

It is the fifth time Greece will preside over the European Union  since joining what was known as the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1991.

Greece's experience in the organisation of major political and sporting events in the past means that Greece is very well-equipped to make a success of this fifth Presidency, despite the many derogatory reports by some of the world's media and especially those of Germany.
 

There is no reason for this presidency to be any less successful than the previous four. 

On the contrary, Greece is in a very good position to make this a great success by virtue of the fact that she is one of those countries suffering from the consequences of harsh austerity measures imposed without the accompanying measures needed to promote economic development. 
 

Yes, Greece CAN!

At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows! 

© GlobalGreekWorld 2014 All Rights Reserved

YES, Greece CAN...Despite The Memoranda!

 

For all those who would like to see what exactly the two Memoranda between Greece and the Troika of her creditors - the EU, the ECB and the IMF, say, see below for the measures involved for the already much beleaguered people of Greece....

The people of Greece who are being called upon to make major sacrifices and suffer for the next few years, because, tragically, her political leaders failed to build a properly functioning state over the last 40 years that would also safeguard its citizens against the whims and voracious appetites of the world's vultures...

Greece needs to get its own house in order and make structural reforms, for its own sake, but the Troika's recipe isn't necessarily the right way to go. There are many voices, in Greece and around the world arguing against an imposed austerity seemingly without justice, incentives and hope for  future growth. An austerity designed primarily to ensure payback to banks and institutions who have made killings all these years. These protests are falling on deaf ears, however, as the grey-suited bureaucrats making decisions conveniently forget that there are real people suffering behind the numbers they see in front of them and the resultant brain drain, as the young and the talented leave Greece to pursue lives and careers elsewhere, is the last thing that Greece needs right now.

Whatever happens though, Greece is a nation that has survived much worse over the course of her long history, and although we are confident that it will survive this challenge too, wherever we are in the world, we need to be united and strong; we need to show our love for our homeland; we need to realise that Greece needs us ALL, and especially our support.

The support that we gave our homeland so generously and open-handedly whenever she was on top - in sport or culture, during the glorious Year of Greece in 2004, for example - is much more crucial now when her people are struggling.

We need to be there for the land we know and love.

We need to support the Greek people materially and financially - to help look after the weak who are fighting for their families, who have lost their income and homes and who have no alternative -  but we especially need to support the Greek people's efforts, by giving them as much moral support and encouragement as we can. Our back up, encouragement and support will be critical  in the difficult days ahead, to help our people remain strong, to stay the course and to hold their heads up high.

Source: Billy Candiloros - thanks!

We should never let anyone or anything make us ashamed to be Greek let alone the incompetent politicians and greedy, self-seeking individuals who have brought Greece to the state she is in today.

We need to bring out the best in our people all over the world, so that we can all look forward to a better and brighter future for our homeland - the country we love - Greece.

We need to stand behind the people of Greece so that they can REBUILD, REPOWER, REINVENT, RESTART...

UNITED we Greeks have shown that we can create magic - Greek magic- and we will   again!

YES, Greece, CAN!

Greece—Memorandum of Understanding on Specific Economic Policy Conditionality, 9 Feb 2012
 Greece—Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies, 9 Feb 2012 

Dedicated To the Troika: From Greece with .... Humour, Black Humour

 From the pen of the wonderful Kostas Mitropoulos 
in Greek daily newspaper,Ta Nea 

Humour with a bite

Troika IMF etc, in the helicopter up above:  Decide Mr Mitso         

Mr Mitso ( the ordinary Greek Citizen, barefoot, caught between a bush of prickly cactuses labelled Staying in the Euro and a cliff precipice labelled Return to the Drachma):  

I would like an advance for some shoes, even if they are jandals

Today is an important day for Greece and only the future will tell us whether it is a positive or a negative one in the recent history of Greece, so we decided to mark it with humour... albeit black!

...and because the Troikans seem to be obsessed with the 13th and 14th Salaries in the private sector, not sure why, and Greece's political leaders are rejoicing that they have succeeded in saving these, despite the fact that, tragically, their concessions meant a lot more purchasing power was lost for the people of Greece and especially the lower income and pension earners,  we thought we would add this special tribute from our friends at Radio Arvyla...

We saved the 13th&14th Salary... Glory to us

P.S.  Dear Troika, Don't forget to have it translated...otherwise it will be all Greek to you!

Greece and the Bailout Package: How it works!

 A gentle reminder to our friends at the EU summit meeting which starts tonight...

It is a slow day in a little village in Crete...
 

The rain is beating down and the streets are deserted.

Times are tough, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.

On this particular day, a rich German tourist is driving through the
village, stops at the local hotel and lays a €100 note on the desk,
telling the hotel owner he wants to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to
pick one to spend the night.

The owner gives him some keys and, as soon as the visitor has walked
upstairs, the hotelier grabs the €100 note and runs next door to pay his
debt to the butcher.

The butcher takes the €100 note and runs down the street to repay his debt
to the pig farmer.

The pig farmer takes the €100 note and heads off to pay his bill at the
supplier of feed and fuel.

The guy at the Farmers' Co-op takes the €100 note and runs to pay his
drinks bill at the taverna.

The publican slips the money along to the local prostitute drinking at the
bar, who has also been facing hard times and has had to offer him
"services" on credit.

The hooker then rushes to the hotel and pays off her room bill to the
hotel owner with the €100 note.

The hotel proprietor then places the €100 note back on the counter so the
foreign visitor will not suspect anything.

At that moment the traveller comes down the stairs, picks up the €100
note, states that the rooms are not satisfactory, pockets the money, and
leaves town.

No one produced anything.
No one earned anything.
However, the whole village is now out of debt and looking to the future
with a lot more optimism.

And that, dear friends, is how the bailout package works...

How the EU Works - In Case You were Wondering...

 Creator: Unknown

The moral of this story is, try to make sure you are as close to the top as possible, otherwise chances are you'll end up...
in more poop than you can handle! 

One of those cartoons that don't need more words...
except to give thanks that you're not at the bottom perhaps!

Happy Thanksgiving! :)