Like sharks circling around a bleeding carcass, the Taoiseach and other Eurogroup leaders gathered around in the plush surroundings of the Italian Ministerial offices to patronise the Greek nation’s plight, and to oversee a new set of proposals which will only serve to keep the country in the grip of debt.
Speaking from Rome, Mr. Kenny arrived to the festivities in a flashy Maserati car paid by the Italian Government, and was soon issuing his well rehearsed commiserations for the Greeks. As part of the celebrations, a military band played Amhran na BhFiann, followed by the Italian national anthem. The Italian leader Matteo Renzi sang his county’s anthem with great patriotic zest as the band played on.
During his speech, our indomitable Taoiseach admonished “I’d like to think that while the time ahead will be difficult for Greece that it will have the support of European colleagues in getting back to a position of confidence, stability, investment and jobs.”
Mr. Renzi then took a moment to praise our own leader’s “wisdom” and “leadership” in financial and international matters.
Not one to be upstaged on the political merry go round, Mr. Kenny retorted a witty one liner; “The Irish like the Italians, and the Italian like the Irish.” Then, he extended an invitation for Mr. Renzi to visit Ireland some time next year.
While Europe bleeds the Greek dry, led by Merkel et al, the German Chancellor seems to have selectively forgotten that it was a combination of European countries (Greece, among them in fact) that in 1953 agreed to cancel half of Germany’s pre- and post-war debt, thus enabling the devastated country to rise from its ashes once again and become the European power that it is today. Such agreement directly contributed to Germany’s financial recovery and its entrance into several international financial institutions, the IMF among them.