tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5882645467378797266.post8577994349202238733..comments2023-07-17T11:55:51.363+02:00Comments on ObservingGreece: A video about Portugal (and Greece, too?)kleinguthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12491174042954678023noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5882645467378797266.post-36985938477200038232012-11-13T12:49:43.755+01:002012-11-13T12:49:43.755+01:00Thanks for sharing your friends correspondence reg...Thanks for sharing your friends correspondence regarding Portugal, most interesting. The similarities are uncanny. Extra pay periods, dead people drawing pensions, lots of prestige German cars, buying German subs and pie-in-the-sky stuff from Siemens. <br /><br />CKCanutely Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07318977471631386327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5882645467378797266.post-43674270877484450672012-11-13T08:14:47.056+01:002012-11-13T08:14:47.056+01:00I don't know how efficiently the EU Structural...I don't know how efficiently the EU Structural Funds were used in Greece (about 135 BEUR since joining) but whenever I ask why Greece's agricultural sector is performing so poorly, I get the reaction that this is "because of the EU". Apparently, the agricultural grants (about 70 BEUR since joining) went to all sorts of things except the right ones.<br /><br />Yes, I would agree that the EU does not have a respectable track record when it comes to how to use money. I think about half of their money goes into agriculture and my understanding is that the dividing up of agricultural grants to the major countries is reminiscent of Greek cronyism. Now that the EU has to save money and since none of the cronies will want to give up some of their agricultural perks, they will probably take it from the Structural Funds, the one place which would really be needed these days!!!kleinguthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12491174042954678023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5882645467378797266.post-15548066484093688792012-11-13T07:20:21.206+01:002012-11-13T07:20:21.206+01:00What stands out from this post is
1) Public Sect...What stands out from this post is <br /><br />1) Public Sector abuse (governmental and institutional) and expansion in both Portugal and Greece. Since this is where the EU transfers arrive, it is not surprising.<br /><br />2) The high cost and losses - in terms of our real and traditional economic sectors - of membership in the EU and EZ.<br /><br />3) In both cases the party that loses out is the private sector.<br /><br />Greece too lost its textile, ceramic and shoe industries through inability to compete with cheaper Asian imports; its enormously profitable tobacco production was summarily closed down by the EU in favour of planting & artificially sustaining over 2 decades unsuccessful tobacco production in Italy; and the abuses and wastages of the CAP are an international scandal.<br />Tourism became expensive too!<br /><br />One clear point stands out: EU economic policies and planning have been inefficient and detrimental in terms of the natural strengths of southern economies; and EU macroeconomic planning has been as artificial, protectionist and clumsy as the old USSR & Chinese 5 Year Plans.<br /><br />But this is rarely discussed. Instead the EU is treated as a de facto monument of economic wisdom and value.<br /><br />Again, where does this leave the private sector? We fund everything in the EU, but our economic activities are skewed by EU mandates and artificially constrained. <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />Tsiganteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15707960864376693533noreply@blogger.com