Schroeder, Chatzimarkakis Want Greek-Bashing To Stop

By Andy Dabilis

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder wants German critics to lay off Greece. (AFP PHOTO DDP/AXEL SCHMIDT)

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, and a German Member of Parliament of Greek descent, Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, have called for politicians in their country to stop criticizing Greece’s effort to get out of its economic mess and to be pushed out of the Eurozone if it fails to rein in its deficit and staggering debt.
Germany’s Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, and Economy Minister Phillip Roesler, have been roughing up Greece as of late with each new criticism harsher than the one before, and Schroeder and Chatzimarkakis said it’s time to stop as it’s poisoning relations between the countries. Germany is the biggest contributor to two bailouts to Greece totaling $325 billion and German Chancellor Angela Merkel made sure that tough austerity measures were attached, infuriating Greeks who’ve had their pay cut, taxes hiked and pensions slashed.
Schroeder accused Roesler and other of trying to make political gains in Germany by victimizing Greece. “This is totally wrong, I hope Chancellor [Angela] Merkel will make it clear that this is not acceptable,” he said in an interview Germany’s ARD TV. “This stance is putting at risk Europe’s future and the Greeks do not deserve this treatment,” he added.
Schroeder earlier, during an interview with the Greece’s state TV, NET,  urged Berlin to show more solidarity with Greece. “Germany has proven its solidarity (with Greece,) but I was hoping for more,” Schroeder said in comments from the southeastern Greek island of Kos, where he said he was on holiday to show support for Greeks. “If Greece moves forward with its reforms, it must be given more time,” the former German leader added.
Schroeder said the negative comments about Greece were “not conducive to the European idea and will not help the euro,” he said. “Above all, I hope that what I call Greece-bashing stops.” Former Prime Minister George Papandreou reportedly called Schroeder to thank him for his comments.
Chatzimarkakis told Skai TV that leaders of the other 16 countries in the Eurozone who use the euro as a currency should stop piling on as well and an unfairly blaming Greece for the economic bloc’s problems. “Germany is looking for a scapegoat, someone it can punish and Greece is the victim,” said Chatzimarkakis, a member of the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) led by Roesler.
Chatzimarkakis wondered why Greece was the center of attention, when its debt represents less than 3 percent of the total owed by Eurozone countries. Last month, the MEP challenged Roesler after he speculated about a Greek euro exit. Chatzimarkakis slammed Roesler’s comments as “reckless” and pondered: “What planet does he live on?”