Thems Greeks must be crazy!

Greece's present socialist government never ceases to surprise:
instead of clamping down on corruption or, at least, focusing on tax EVASION, it continues to attack the disposable income of those people who are taxed -- i.e. people who actually declare their income!
In other words, Greece's socialists are sinking the socialist state's hand deeper into the same pockets and not at all in any other pockets!

I don't get it: why don't they ask Greece's rich to contribute -- rather than bandy hooh-ha and hot air about getting "the bad guys", which they never will. There are probably only a few really bad guys in Greece... i.e. open, large-scale tax evaders. Excepting (allegedly) corrupt civil servants and Greek politicians of course.

In its latest recipe geared at pouring income into the state coffers, further taxation is planned for people earning over Euro 60k...
...Which means that people actually declare their earnings are called upon to carry more weight!

With less disposable money,and in many cases lower salaries, it should come as no surprise to Greece's Socialists that state income from indirect taxation, consumer spending, as well as direct taxes is going downhill: 22% lower in 2011 than the same period in 2010.

So what is the savings recipe for executives?

Simple:
a) make sure your declared income falls below 60k -- it makes no sense to waste corporate added-value (i.e. money your sorp will give you to hand over to Greek authorities) on Greek socialists playing at statesmen;
b) pack your bags, leave family in Greece for the time being and get a job less than 2hrs plane ride away (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Turkey, Albania, MEast),
c) pack your family bags and move your family to a normal country.

Here is a link to an on-line ticket office to reserve your aeroplane seats: aeroplanes

Modern Greece: the big heist!

Let's simplify, curt many corners, and reach an immediate conclusion: modern Greece seems very much like a country set up as a vehicle for making money for nothing. There is a song money for nothing -- but I do not think its composer was thinking of Greece.
However, as there is no free lunch, the unsuspecting inhabitants of the country are the ones to foot the bill.

Consider the following:
* out of of the very first two loans subscribed in the name of the new State, less than 10% actually reached the country coffers and this was spent on rifles and ammunition. The rest was siphoned away at the source and neighbouring pockets.

* Since the beginning, the country always lived on loans that overwhelm its capability to service them; indeed the actual terms of the loans up until the late '70s are so injurious they seem to have been generally indifferent to the receivers. As if the objective was, get the money and run!
Or, just as credibly, "who cares, we're not going to pay it back anyway!".

This plan seems to have counted on the indigenous population's having an infinite capacity for paying back loans. Not very kind to the people who actually justified the declaration of modern Greece as an independent state -- and made the heist possible.
The people have not had an infinite capacity for apying back loans and the country has been bankrupt 5 times (including the present grey bankruptcy). Greece has declared bankruptcy 4 times in the past. As a result, the inhabitants of Greece have been impoverished by loans servicing for most of their history since the creation of modern Greek state following the revolution of 1821.

No surprise, there is not much of a middle class to speak of in Greece. Greece is a neo-feudal society.

Following a short honeymoon, the result of Greece's joining the EU, the country is now facing a major crisis again. Politicians are openly ridiculed, yet they all stick to their guns. Moral fibre is very weak. Corruption is rampant and the gross indifference of Public administration to anyone and everything is overwhelmingly obvious whenever you speak to any Greek civil servant.

In a similar vein: public services operate at scientific minima.

This is a pity. Europeans and, to an extent, many Americans, heralded the return of Greece to independence. Lots of money and even lives were lost to the cause of Greek independence.

Yet, still now, the heist lives on.
At the wake of raising an alleged Euro 50 bill through the sale of State owned property, a man named K. Nikolopoulos and his Lamda SA, are the primary consulting contractors. He has been around since the late '80s, just as active during the summer Olympics (2004) as during the negotiations and the construction of Athens new airport.

What a coincidence: The man is member of the Sultan's privy council! Only that in Greece, there are 2-3 Sultans who alternate in power. Let's make the above statement: the "Sultans' privy council".

Of course, the object of his trade -- real estate -- is what warrants his choice; R-E is the only real value in Greece and lots of money can be made while Publicly owned property changes hands...
The man is a very respectable executive and, of course, he is not alone in this story.

If only Dashiel Hammett were here to provide us with a happy ending!

Greece's CFO changes

There is to be a replacement, it seems.
This is the current Minister of Finance, and this is the replacement.

Alleged replacement.

"Not that it will make any difference", claimed a top executive at the Greek ministry of finance, yesterday.
"Just that George (the current) is presentable while the other makes you cringe -- the way he acts & the things he says".
He added, "It's time I pull out my other passport!"

The alleged replacement is credited with having discredited Greece's national security service, "EYP", when he was interior minister, to a US ambassador in Athens:
“Chrysochoidis said bluntly, “EYP is nothing.” It does not serve its mission of protecting Greece and in fact is dangerous to national security because of its many shortcomings, not the least of which is a unionize d labor force. As a result, Chrysochoidis declared, he intends to “collapse and rebuild it” via a draft law that is in the process of being drawn up.”

The draft law is still in the works.

What Chryso probably meant and means by "shortcomings" is that many EYP employees do not vote for the Greek Socialist party.

Ultimately, the top functionary's idea to use his other passport may be very wise!

Japan, off the north-east coast, 5.46 a.m. 11th March 2011

This is Sendai airport, 11th March 2011, at 5.45 am:And this is Sendai airport, 11th March 2011, a short tsunami later:Many thanks to ABC Australia for the images.

Just one moment in the life of....

I think I've Got It!

Greeks vote for their politicians according to who they know and what they need to be done.
Speculation on the chosen politician's ability to get things done also plays a role -- we mean of course, the politicians' efficiency once they actually accede to power.

Which means, politicians are chosen primarily and voted into office on the strength of their readiness to serve voters' individual /family /corporate and whatever purposes -- not the country's.

In other words, Greeks recruit their politicians to act as "fixers" -- i.e. in to help get the voters' job(s) done.


It should come as no surprise therefore, that when asked to actually govern a country and manage situations, these same politicians are clueless. Incompetent.


It's as simple as that!




Remember the cardinal rules of working / investing Greece:
Without connections to help you cut corners, doing anything in Greece other than holidaying is an exercise in patience and perseverance. For example, ("fast track") licensing for an energy-producing company can take years.
The simple task of registering with authorities and obtaining the obligatory social security papers, the medical cover, and the medication book (yes, a book) can be an ordeal requiring three half-day trips to as many different administrative offices -- as the (Greek - German nationality) Human Resources director of a major retailer discovered, 8 months ago.

Licensing a restaurant can take many months of waiting (in a operational venue!).

Think of what major investing is like -- and, worse, how vulnerable the investment can be if profits are at the mercy of administrative and political manipulations.

Whereas, if one is connected, these same tasks become plainer sailing. As to investments, what better guarantee against a hungry and hostile administration than a politician -- better still, the investor can hope for some public sector business as well.

Such gross incompetence is a statistical impossibility

Greece's socialist government leaves so much to be desired, is so much of a dunce, has displayed so much incompetence, the matter smacks of statistical improbability!

Apart from the Soviet communication tactics, that is, which are still going strong even if their effectiveness has weakened.

Unemployment is 15% (17% unofficial), income is down, retail T-O is -7%, latest GDP is -6.6% on annual basis, labour legislation continues to be restrictive, the Greek state is recruiting. None of the so-called scandals have been seriously investigated, so there is no retribution.

Euro 0.85 bill is to be distributed to the Labour Office for temporary respite. Positions in many state owned companies and organisations (e.g. hospitals) are now limited to only confirmed Socialist party "fighters" as activists of any self-professed left-wing inclination are called...

A new Environmental Protection bill falls short of its title -- but helps owners of land.
Protecting the environment Greek way means you can build anywhere, anything, as long as you have 4 "stremma" (1 hectare = 10 stremma). Real estate is still the only real value in Greece, producing until recently real added value, so any effort to curtail its reach can only be doomed.

Greece's Socialist Prime Minister, Mr Geoff Papandreou has stuck by his government chosen among his friends
and acquaintances who, one must admit, have made a mess of colossal proportions.

Presumably, these people are no more incompetent than other people -- so, what gives???