Der Spiegel calls for Greece exit as Europe lurches betweens threats to Greece and pretending it doesn't care if Greece stays or goes.....

No agreement on ecumenical gov't reached, talks to continue Monday ( Will Democratic Left cave in on Monday ? ) No agreement has been brokered until now toward the formation of an ecumenical government, Democratic Left party leader Fotis Kouvelis said late Sunday following talks with Greek President Karolos Papoulias. “Democratic Left did all that it could for a solution that would reflect the will of the people to disengage [the country] from the terms of the memorandum and, at the same time, support a policy that will keep the country in the eurozone,” he said. “We have demonstrated our responsibility toward society in the most sincere manner. Let everyone live up to their own responsibilities,» he added. The Greek president is scheduled to meet again with Kouvelis, New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras, and PASOK chief Evangelos Venizelos, on Monday at 7.30 p.m.

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2012/05/mud-slinging-carries-day-in-greece.html

Sunday, May 13, 2012 2:06 PM

Mud Slinging Carries the Day in Greece; Again and Again Samaras Proves He's a Liar; New Elections Likely

Things are looking better for Greece as the latest report is Greek coalition talks break down in acrimony. 

 Greece appeared to be heading for fresh national elections after last-ditch coalition talks chaired by the country’s president ended in mutual mud-slinging by the conservative, socialist and leftwing leaders.

Antonis Samaras, leader of the centre-right New Democracy party, said the radical left coalition Syriza had blocked efforts to break the deadlock, even after a letter from premier Lucas Papademos was circulated at the meeting outlining Greece’s deteriorating fiscal position.

Tax collection slowed markedly during the election campaign, putting budget deficit targets at risk, according to a finance ministry official. Prolonged political instability would also delay the implantation of a €40bn recapitalisation scheme for Greek banks included in the country’s second bailout by international lenders, the official said.

Mr Samaras criticised Syriza’s 37-year-old leader for refusing to help form a coalition or support a government that would try to re-negotiate the terms of the bailout. “I don’t know where (Alexis) Tsipras is heading,” Mr Samaras said at the end of a 90-minute meeting described as “highly charged” by presidential aides.

Evangelos Venizelos, leader of the PanHellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok), accused the Syriza leader of “showing arrogance” by opposing a coalition deal.

Again and Again Samaras Proves He's a Liar

Samaras' idea that terms of the bailout can be renegotiated is a complete farce and he knows it. He is simply looking for any way to get into power.

Moreover, falling tax receipts means only one thing: harsher austerity terms and more demand from Germany not less. If there was any change of heart from Germany, it would be up to Germany to lead the way, not Greece. Samaras knows this as well.I suppose one can accuse Syriza party leader Alexis Tsipras of lies as well, given he is running on a platform of staying in the Euro as well as defaulting on debts. However, anyone with an IQ above the level of a rock knows that is impossible.

Let's hope for another election on June 10th or 17th, one with a clear mandate to tell the Troika to go to hell. Such an outcome is in the clear best interest of all of Europe.

and....

http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/55503

NEWS POLITICS ARTS COMMUNITY LIVING IN ATHENS INTERACTIVE BUSINESS ECONOMY SPORTS TRAVEL CITY GUIDE MEDIA Election 2012: what happens next? Der Spiegel calls for Greece exit from the euro 13 May 2012 The influential German publication argues that time is finally up, for Greece's time in the euro. (file photo) "Acropolis, Adieu! Why Greece must leave the euro," reads the front-page headline of Germany's most influential magazine Der Spiegel, joining a chorus of voices in Europe's paymaster country suggesting an exit may now be the best option. In a sign Germany is coming to terms with a possible Greek departure, senior players in both business and political communities said this week the euro zone could survive without Greece because the bloc is now more resilient to shocks. But Der Spiegel, one of Germany's most respected news outlets, went one step further, arguing a Greek exit was the only way forwards now. Its front page depicted a splintered euro coin strewn across ancient Greek ruins at dusk. "Despite all the skepticism, our editors have until now pleaded for Athens to remain in the euro zone," Der Spiegel wrote in its editorial column. "Since the parliamentary elections at the beginning of May, Spiegel observers have changed their opinion." "The Greeks were never ripe for the currency union and they still are not today. The attempt to make the country sustainably healthy through reforms has failed," Spiegel journalists wrote in their in-depth report on Greece. "In the meantime it is clear that the exit is in their own interest. Only an exit of Greece from the euro zone gives the country a chance in the long term to get back on its feet." German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was quoted in the media on Sunday as saying that he could not force Greece to remain within the currency bloc although he hoped it would. Many European countries seem to be coming to terms with the possibility of a Greek exit. Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann was quoted as saying he also did not wish for a Greek exit but "in theory, a lot is imaginable". (Reuters) and.... http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/55501 Press Watch, May 13 by Makis Papasimakopoulos What's making the front pages of the Sunday press. (file photo) There is one thing making the front pages of Sunday press and one thing only: The crunch time meetings between President Karolos Papoulias and Greece’s political leaders, a last ditch effort to finally build a coalition government and hold off the euro vice, tightening around the country’s throat. “A tragedy with no katharsis” says Free Sunday, with the newspaper reporting a strenghtening of the voices talking increasingly about Greece’s exit from the euro. To Arthro is efectively echoing what is pretty much common knowledge around the land, that being that the formation of a coalition government hinges on the decision that Democratic Left chief Fotis Kouvelis will make on the topic, since Syriza have distanced themselves from any version of a governmental team-up. “Chaos or salvation in the hands of Kouvelis”, their main title reads, with the subtitle pointing a finger at the Democratic Left captain, accusing him of wanting to guarantee his political survival, more than the future of the country. “Wanted: a strong government with an audible voice” Real News says on its front page, coupling it with an apparent message from Brussels that says that “if you work things out, we can change the memorandum”. Which sounds a bit like, "be a good boy and do your homework, then you can play with your video games”. Alexis Tsipras also makes an appearance on the lower left hand side of the front page, with a quote that reads “the establishment is pressuring the Left to kill itself”. Avriani seem to really like their "Alexis Tsipras is Andreas Papandreou mark II" (now with full set of hair) thing, which they plastered across their front page yesterday and keep at it. “Tsirpas is new Andreas”, is the inspired title, following it up with “he is ready to demolish the rotten, corrupt and bankrupted political system”. Quite the heroic profile I must say. Ethnos bring up to the rear, reporting the threat of apossible financial breakdown of Greece, before the next elections in mid June. “Russian Roulette” their main title says, with the country “heading to elections to either survive or go bust”. They even have some time to deal with the clear out Evangelos Venizelos is attempting at Pasok, Ethnosbelieving that the current Pasok chief is heading for a clash with the Pasok that George Papandreou built. Ultimately, what the real issue here is, whether there will be a Pasok after Venizelos clears the decks, or whether we shall be looking at a completely different party.