BRUSSELS bureaucrats are set to fine impoverished Greece a million euros every month in revenge for its Government stepping in to save ship builders’ jobs.
The EU Commission will fine Greece over its help for ship builders
Out of touch eurocrats are seeking a court order for a massive financial crackdown on the struggling country, which has been driven into third world poverty by EU policies.
They want to impose a six million euro upfront penalty on Greece’s cash-strapped government, to be followed by a daily levy of 34,974 euros.
The row has erupted because Greek ministers used taxpayers money to save the Hellenic Shipyards company in 2008, guaranteeing the jobs of more than a thousand workers.
The shipyard was one of the country’s biggest and the government provided a temporary rescue package, before selling it on to a German company, in a case echoing Britain’s bid to save the Port Talbot steelworks.
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But, despite Greece’s dire economic situation, bureaucrats at the EU Commission decided to take the elected Greek government to court, arguing that the state aid was illegal under Brussels law.
Following a series of cases before the European Court of Justice the Commission is now hammering home the judgements and demanding a massive financial penalty.
Under the terms they are seeking Greece will be required to pay 34,974 euros to Brussels every day until it has recouped all of the 250 million euros it used to bail out Hellenic Shipyards.
The Commission said in a statement: “More than seven years after its adoption, Greece still has not implemented the Commission decision of June 2008, ordering the recovery of over 250 million euros of unlawful state aid to Hellenic Shipyards.”
The decision to pursue the case is likely to spark anger in a country which has been sacrificed into third-world poverty at the altar of German banks and French farmers.
Greece has been devastated by EU financial policies, with youth unemployment standing at over 50 per cent and and a shocking report by its Ministry of Labour revealing that 126,000 of those who are in work are taking home less than 100 euros a month.
Just under 350,000 Greek workers now take home between 100 and 400 euros a month - the equivalent of £80-£330 - after joblessness rocketed and salaries collapsed.
In a tweet which has since been deleted Greek centre-right MP Giorgos Koumoutsakos warned: “Violence is everywhere, along with worthlessness and constant off-life values.”
“A return to the fundamental is the only progressive option.”
Euroscepticism is already on the rise in impoverished Greece, with German chancellor Angela Merkel having become a figure of hate in many parts of the country.
Germany has forced the Greek government to carry out devastating austerity cuts as part of punitive financial conditions attached to a series of controversial bailout packages.
And the country, already stretched to breaking point, has had to bear the brunt of the migrant crisis which was sparked when Mrs Merkel publicly rolled out the red carpet to all populations in the the Middle East.
You have to weep for the people of Greece who have been betrayed by their politicos at every step, even when they want to break free of the EU they are chained and enslaved by their glorious corrupt leaders.
Perhaps their only salvation is to kill them in order to restore some democracy.
they had their chance to get out, endure the pain for a short period of time. As long as they stay in the EU they will suffer more and more untiul nothing is left. Contrarely France and Germany receive lots of money from the EU.
This is all part of the great EU plan to deliberately bring about the collapse and bankruptcy of it's member states so that they become the property of the Bundesbank. We all know that Greece is bankrupt and Italy and Spain teetering on bankruptcy and make no mistake if we had voted to stay in the EU then we would be facing bankruptcy in five to ten years, the UK would just become a 'language area' with all assets owned by Germany. This is all part of the masterplan outlined in the 'Madrid Circular'.
Time Greece grew some balls and exited the EU
Poor Greece......the French subsidised their National airline for years and nothing was done. One rule for some, clearly.
This is part of their crazy dogma. Their theory says that to create a single market governments must not subsidise their country's industries. But the reality is that firms are in competition with those outside the EU. So cheap imports flood in destroying UK steel making or Greek ship building, to which the EU simply doesn't react, or they react too little and too late. The result is the loss of our jobs and industries to countries outside the EU. It is crazy. Once we can break free we can become more masters of our destiny again. Greece should follow.
I initially thought this was 'comedy gold' but now realise it's beyond parody. Thank heavens we have voted to escape the asylum.
The buying of Europe is being done by counterfeit means at the behest of the US government, who are just a front for the corporations who gained their financial clout illegally via the Fed.
Thank God we are leaving all this madness behind us. The Greeks had a chance to leave and their PM cheated them out of it. EU madness never ends.
Greece are in a prime position to just tell Merkel et al to go 4ck themselves. With the EU on the brink of financial collapse, they should seize the moment.
The eu is a complete f*c k up the sooner it falls apart the better
Merkel and Germany rule Ireland too, not a cent spent
unless Merkel give the nod.
unless Merkel give the nod.
I can't understand this. Why can't you help shipyards, but you can bail-out banks? What's the difference? They are both companies - sort of.
Typical of the Brussels Stazi led by Reichschancellor Merkel. Rule Europe to Germany's advantage and never hesitate to give the little countries a kicking.
Greece is not the` Oh So innocent victim` in all of this...Greece did NOTHING and has done NOTHING to STOP these ILLEGAL MIGRANTS coming into their Country and then moving them on to anyone else but themselves. Whinge all you like...BUT GET A GRIP ON YOUR PROBLEMS GREECE.
Nothing new here. Back at the end of the 80's Sunderland shipbuilders were in trouble and when Greek and German groups wanted to buy what was the most modern yard in the U.K. Permission was refused by Thatcher as it did not comply with an EU aid package. Another load of nonsense and just look what is left of British shipbuilding now.
We must write our own Bill of Human Rights and dump the EU's million page document, and wave goodbye to the European Court of Justice, otherwise it will over rule our law courts and our laws. I hope this on David Davis's agenda or we shall be ruled by the corrupt EU forever.
A stark warning that the likes of Salmond and Sturgeon should take note of. How long could a pathetic little 'independent' Scotland and Holyrood expect to last on its own as a member of the EU before being squashed into oblivion by the jackbooted thugs that run it.
The Germans all but own the Greeks & their country the home of Democracy. They removed a democratically elected Prime minister and installed an ex ECB man. The EU is a disgusting anti-democratic dictatorship ruled by the Germans .
Glad I voted to Leave.
The EU is beginning to reveal just how despicable its policies really are - the regime seems to value preserving its rules, regulations, wealth and power far more than the well-being of its citizens. I get the feeling it was established just to provide Germany with every possible advantage in trade, business and industry, with other member countries providing an endless supply of assets, ready to be looted and pillaged at will. For instance, Norway is continually having to fight off attempts by the EU to take control of its oil industry, while the UK's steel industry has been almost wiped out by EU regulation.. (On the bright side, the UK has put the EU's nose well and truly out of joint by voting for Brexit). The only question that remains is which country is next in line for the treatment - assuming the EU survives long enough, of course. Currently Greece receives multi-million euro bail-outs purely to cover the repayment due on its last bail-out and stop Europe's banks collapsing under the weight of their non-performing loans. Now Italy's banking system is close to meltdown - so is it too big to fail or too big to rescue ? Greece should copy Iceland, which defaulted on its loans, technically went bankrupt, told the EU where to get off, and is now thriving without meddling and interference from Brussels. The EU's utter contempt for its member countries, the future of their people and democracy will eventually lead to its downfall - and very soon I hope. Such a flawed, dysfunctional and totally corrupt regime doesn't deserve to exist a minute longer.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/692565/European-Union-Brussels-fine-Greece-state-aid-Hellenic-Shipyards
