Sigmar Gabriel: ‘Greece entered the eurozone after falsifying data’

According to the German newspaper Die Welt, the Vice Chancellor of Germany and Federal Minister of Finance and Energy Sigmar Garbiel described Greece’s matter as something that should mostly concern the World Bank rather than the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Furthermore, he claimed that Greece has only managed to enter the eurozone by falsifying its data.

Speaking at an event of the German Social Democratic party (SPD) in Potsdam, Mr. Gabriel suggested that Berlin as the most suitable of managing the crisis effectively. Moreover, he pinpointed Ireland’s progress as a reassuring fact which shows that there is life after crisis.

As far as Greece is concerned, Mr. Gabriel stated that it is a case concerning mostly the World Bank rather than the IMF, given the fact that there are no structures in the Greek state.

Earlier, Mr. Habermas sharply criticized the SPD on its stance concerning the negotiations over the potential formation of a coalition government and the handling of the European financial crisis.

The SPD no longer refers to communitization of debts and the comrades do not talk about Eurobonds anymore, even though at some point this was the key-word to social-democratic rhetoric, said Mr. Habermas.

The German philosopher even spoke of “political discredit of whole nations” and of “the fall of whole generations and nations.” He also underlined that these were expressions often used by the SPD during the pre-election period.

Mr. Habermas also added that the previous government “used Germany’s semi- hegemonic position in the European Union” and he highlighted that this new coalition “unfortunately wishes to continue” the current management of debt crisis. However, this policy does not give an effective solution to the real causes of the crisis but “bears the risk of a German Europe.”