LOL!
Merkel blasts ‘lazy’ Greece and Portugal
http://www.eutimes.net/2011/05/merkel-blasts-lazy-greece-and-portugal/
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has this week sparked a wave of outrage across Europe by calling on Portugal, Spain and Greece to raise their retirement ages and reduce their leave. She warned that German aid to these countries could be cast into doubt should southern European countries fail to adopt the work ethic of her countrymen.
“It’s not just about getting any further into debt in countries such as Greece, Spain and Portugal, people should not be allowed to receive pension before their German counterparts”, Angela Merkel told supporters at a political rally in Germany.
“We all have to put in some effort. This is important, we cannot have the same currency, yet some have an abundance of holiday leave and others have very little”, reasoned the German Chancellor.
“We cannot stand by these countries and allow them to act the way they have up until now. Germany will help, but only if these countries demonstrate they are putting in the necessary effort”, added the Chancellor.
Oh, how heartless and cruel!
She wants them to actually WORK for aid!..............
Sounds like us and the public sector unions. Greek workers rioting in the streets, won’t go along with fairere measure like a longer work week or older retirement age. Where have I heard all those things before?
Next summer ought to be a doozy.
Seig heil. Germany growing into the big dog on the block for all of Europe again. They are the one to contend with. I haven’t paid much attention to the Germany military since I retired from the Army. But, I served over there for 10 of my 20+ years. I just wonder if they are doing any build up.
“We cannot stand by these countries and allow them to act the way they have up until now. Germany will help, but only if these countries demonstrate they are putting in the necessary effort”, added the Chancellor.
Wow! The labor unions in Wisconsin would be trying to recall Merkel!
““We all have to put in some effort. This is important, we cannot have the same currency, yet some have an abundance of holiday leave and others have very little”, reasoned the German Chancellor.”
I don’t know how the leave breaks out in Ireland vs. Germany, but we lost large numbers of jobs to them over the last couple of years (different cities). Yes, they speak English, but their culture is completely different and their priority is not work. We in the US are no longer allowed to have a “work-life balance” or lose our jobs. They’re always on vacation or putting in just the minimum hours. So, I know how the German Chancellor feels.
Sounds like somethign in the vein of Otto Von Bismark: The whole of the Balkans is not worth the bones of a single Pomeranian grenadier
Sometiems it seems many of the Germans, including their govt, never truly got over their nationalism and tendency to see themselves as superior to all of Europe (and the US), esp the Orthodox nations, and never really will.