Samaras and Rapanos see the true numbers for Greece's financial picture or read the negotiating positions from the Coalition Government - require immediate hospitalization (my satirical comment )

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/24/greece-ministers-miss-eu-summit

Greek PM and finance minister to miss key EU summit due to health problems

Foreign minister and outgoing finance minister will instead attend talks where Greece will ask for austerity concessions

The new Greek prime minister, Antonis Samaras, who underwent eye surgery on Saturday, will not attend a key summit of EU leaders this week, when Athens will seek to ease the punishing terms of its international bailout.

The incoming finance minister, Vassilis Rapanos, will also miss the summit having been rushed to hospital on Friday before he could be sworn in, complaining of nausea, intense abdominal pains and dizziness. He remains in hospital.

Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said Greece would be represented at the EU summit by the foreign minister, Dimitris Avramopoulos, and the outgoing finance minister, George Zanias.

Samaras underwent successful surgery to repair a damaged retina and Kedikoglou said he would leave hospital on Monday. "The orders of his doctor are for him not to travel and to stay at home for a few days," he said. The hospital said his condition was "good and improving".

A government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said inspectors from Greece's "troika" of lenders – the EU, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund – were considering postponing a visit to Athens that was due to start on Monday for a few days.

They are expected to review progess in the implementation of reforms sought by Greece's lenders, given the time lost to two elections since early May.

Samaras's conservative New Democracy party narrowly won the 17 June election that saw the radical leftist Syriza bloc take second place on a promise to tear up the terms of Greece's €130bn (£81bn) bailout, potentially forcing Greece out of Europe's single currency.

A coalition government of New Democracy, socialist Pasok and the small Democratic Left was sworn in on Thursday. It said it would renegotiate the painful terms of the bailout, which is keeping Greece from bankruptcy but at the cost of harsh economic suffering.

Under a coalition programme seen by Reuters on Saturday, the government will seek tax cuts, extra help for the poor and unemployed, a freeze on public sector lay-offs and more time to cut its deficit, responding to pressure from a society facing its fifth year of recession.

The programme is likely to run into strong opposition from Greece's eurozone partners, notably paymaster Germany, who have offered adjustments but no radical rewrite of conditions.

and....

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2012/06/greece-asks-troika-for-moon.html

Greece Asks Troika For Moon

It will be interesting to see how long the coalition in Greece will last after Germany shoots down Bailout Easing Proposals by Greece to ....

• Cut the VAT
• Freeze layoffs
• Extend timeline to reduce its deficit by two years
• Recapitalize lenders
• Provide more help for the unemployed
• Accelerate payments to providers of government services.

Bloomberg reports Greece Seeks at Least Two-Year Extension to Bailout Goals noting that "New Democracy, Pasok and the Democratic Left agree that plans to cut 150,000 public-sector jobs should be scrapped."

Loosening of Pledges Unacceptable

The coalition parties (New Democracy, Pasok, Democratic Left) can agree to whatever they want. They may as well agree the moon is made of green cheese while requesting slices on a platter.

Immediately following the election in Greece German chancellor Angela Merkel stated Greece must stick to commitments 

 German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday a new Greek government had to meet commitments made to international lenders.

Speaking to reporters at a Group of 20 leaders' meeting, Merkel said any loosening of agreed reform pledges after Sunday's narrow election victory for Greece's pro-bailout parties would be unacceptable.

The Troika may agree to trivial changes, hoping to keep the coalition together. Don't expect that tactic to work for long as the Greek economy continues to implode.

Meanwhile, Alexis Tsipras, the "radical left" party leader, can comfortably sit back in opposition and say "I told you so".

http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2012/06/23/pm-samaras-eye-operation-successfully-concluded-finmin-still-hospitalized/

PM Samaras’ Eye Operation Successful – FinMin Still Hospitalized

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Politics

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras successfully underwent an eye operation on Saturday morning in Athens. Ophthalmology surgeons at public hospital Attikon repaired the retinal detachment problem in an operation that lasted about two hours.

A statement by the surgeons said that Samaras’s eye problem was serious and that he has to be under medical surveillance and a regular measurement of his right eye blood pressure for some time.

Samaras may exit the hospital today, despite doctors allegedly advising him to stay at the hospital for 24 hours. 

It is not clear yet whether Antonis Samaras will be able to fly to Brussels and join the EU Summit on upcoming Thursday. Doctors are expected to decided on the issue.

and.....

UPD: Would-be FinMin Rapanos Hospitalized; Sworn-In Postponed

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Politics

This looks as if it is a bad day for Greece’s government. After Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his eye problem, another member of the government had to seek the hospital: would-be Finance Minister Vassilis Rapanos, 65, suffered a “fainting incident” at Friday noon and was taken to a private hospital for medical checks.

Vassilis Rapanos was scheduled to be sworn-in at 07:30 pm on Friday, but the ceremony has been postponed.

The ‘fainting incident’ was claimed at the initial reports. Unconfirmed reports speak now of high fever and pain in the abdominal area.

o5:45 pm: 

press release by the doctors of private hospital “Ygeia” :

“Vassilis Rapanos was admitted to the hospital because of  intense abdominal pain, dizziness, nausea, sweating and exhaustion. His situation has been stabilized. He is undergoing necessary tests to ascertain the causes of  his health condition.”

PS I hope, they checked him on appendice…

According to some Greek media, there is consideration that Samaras could also travel to Brussels by car.

Would-be Finance Minister Vassilis Rapanos is still hospitalized. A doctors’ statement stated he underwent all necessary medical screening.

He may exit the hospital on Monday and be sworn-in on the same day.