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Merkel lands in Athens: Her formerly great opponent strikes straight out - "Germans will pay"

2021-10-28T20:20:22.339Z


Chancellor Angela Merkel has probably arrived in Greece for her last visit. But Merkel is also received with criticism.


Chancellor Angela Merkel has probably arrived in Greece for her last visit.

But Merkel is also received with criticism.

Athens - Angela Merkel arrived in Athens on Thursday evening for her last official visit to Greece.

First there should be a private dinner with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Several events as well as another meeting with the Prime Minister and joint statements are on the program on Friday.

The relationship between the Greeks and the long-term German Chancellor is divided;

many do not forgive her for the tough stance Germany showed during Greece's severe financial crisis, when harsh austerity measures were imposed on the country by its international creditors.

Merkel in Athens: Dealing with Greece is still under criticism today

Prime Minister Mitsotakis, as head of the conservative Nea Dimokratia party, closer to the CDU than other Greek parties, is also critical of this phase of German-Greek relations.

"She will be the first to admit - and she has already said that - that she asked too much of the Greeks during the crisis," he said in a recent interview.

"The austerity policy went far beyond what the Greek population could endure."

Yanis Varoufakis, the Greek finance minister at the height of the debt crisis in 2015, also criticized Merkel.

In the

picture he

prophesied to “German workers and medium-sized companies” just in time for Merkel's arrival that they “unfortunately have to pay and pay and pay”.

The rescue of Greece was doomed from the start.

Varoufakis had indicated early on that the Germans would sink their money in a black hole called Greece.

Now he sees himself confirmed by the development: Despite the aid, the national debt is at a record level and, according to the controversial economics professor, would “rise forever”.

Video: Merkel dismissed from office - Chancellor remains in office

The Chancellor herself described the crisis in Greece, which turned into a euro crisis, as the greatest challenges of her term in office.

"It's incredibly tough when you see what you expect from people," she said in September at a panel discussion in Düsseldorf.

Because of the austerity measures in Greece, Merkel was perceived as responsible and a “bad woman”.

During demonstrations by the Greeks against this policy, she was shown on some posters in Nazi uniform and with a Hitler mustache.

(dpa / fmü)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-10-28

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