Posted on 03/04/2010 9:57:07 AM PST by RedDogzRule
"The Greek state must sell stakes in companies and also assets such as, for example, unpopulated islands," Frank Schäffler, a member of parliament for the pro-business Free Democrats, told the Bild daily.
Marco Wanderwitz, an MP for Merkel's own conservative Christian Democrats, said Athens should provide collateral for any money it receives from the European Union to help it out of its debt crisis.
"In this case, certain Greek islands also come into question," added Wanderwitz.
"We give you cash, you give us Corfu," the Bild commented.
Greece has around 6,000 islands off its coast, of which only 227 are inhabited, according to the country's National Tourism Office website.
The cash-strapped country Wednesday launched a fresh round of draconian austerity measures in a bid to rein in a ballooning budget deficit that is more than four times above EU limits.
The Socialist government increased sales, tobacco and alcohol taxes and cut public sector holiday allowances to save €4.8 billion ($6.5 billion), equal to about two percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Pensions in the public and private sector were also frozen.
Merkel is set to hold talks with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou on Friday to discuss the situation in Greece.
wow.
How about making BIG budget cuts??
Well, when you go begging for money, don’t be surprised if the folks with the money want something in return...
Oh, is it only the empty ones? I kinda had dibs on Santorini...
So how many islands can we sell off California’s coast? After all, they’re just a little behind Greece
Be careful. Its going in blow again maybe within the next
thaousand years.
Germans have bought half of Spain. They particularly love the islands, where they go and get 3rd degree sunburns and surf the net for child porn (which seems to be a particularly German delight).
Dibs on Catalina.
I’ve seen that crap in the magazine racks at truck-stops in France, too. Seems to be a European obsession, sadly. The Germans are hilarious: they’re very staid and proper in Germany and let loose outside their borders (hmmm, sounds familiar). In Italy, they roll around on the beaches at 8am, like white whales calling out for “vino, subito!”.
And when it does, as it inevitably will, I wouldn't want to be anywhere in the Mediterranean basin. Living near tectonic plate boundaries carries serious risks.
Traveling to Pompeii and seeing all the destruction and looking not far into the distance and seeing Vesuvius was a bit unnerving for me,I must say.
I suspect they’ll have trouble trying to take Crete again.
Rosie O’Doller and Helen Isgenerous might make a bid on the Island of Lesbos!
Greece selling its assets for money would be a sensible, responsible way out of their self-created mess.
So I think we all know what will happen.
what about any supermodels?
Go for a time share.
Live on a Greek island for twelve months, and let the Greek unions live there for the other two.
While waiting for that to happen, it would be prettier than living around the New Madrid fault as I do now...
Wonder who will buy Lesbos?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.