End 'Gross Indignity', Greek FM Varoufakis Tells Germany

BBCNews ^ | February 06, 2015

[Steelfish]

End 'Gross Indignity', Greek FM Varoufakis Tells Germany Yanis Varoufakis is in Berlin attempting to renegotiate Greece's debt

Greece's new finance minister has urged Germany to help end the "gross indignity" of the Greek debt crisis.

Yanis Varoufakis said "too much time, hopes, lives" had been wasted by Greece's forced austerity programme.

He was speaking after talks with his German counterpart, Wolfgang Schaeuble, who said a reduction of Greece's debt was off the agenda.

Mr Varoufakis has been seeking support for Greece's plan to renegotiate its massive international bailout.

On Thursday evening, thousands of people gathered in front of the Greek parliament to back the radical leftist Syriza party, which won last month's general election with a pledge to write off half the country's debt.

[Pecos]

The current crop of Greeks are not Spartans, or even Athenians, when they consider it a “gross indignity” to be asked to re-pay their debts - proving once again Benjamin Franklin’s recommendation to never be a lender. Too many times, you will either be resented or simply stiffed. If you want to give someone a gift, then do so. Just don’t expect to be re-paid.

[SunkenCiv]

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[SunkenCiv]