So when do we Eurolanders get the bill and how much will it be?

[darrenb]

...That is what is expected of Italy

Or what? She can suck on the teat of the German taxpayer?

Not before the sultry Greek in the room uses her strap-on!

[darmstadt]

1 in 2 Germans want to leave the Euro (program on TV about it at the moment) mainly because they're pissed off with the way that their politicians are using it to pay off lazy arsed southern bugger's debts. However the German economy is slowly getting stronger with a forecast of another 250,000 new jobs in the coming year in all branches (of Aldi? Lidl?)

[DodgyAgent]

1 in 2 Germans want to leave the Euro (program on TV about it at the moment) mainly because they're pissed off with the way that their politicians are using it to pay off lazy arsed southern bugger's debts. However the German economy is slowly getting stronger with a forecast of another 250,000 new jobs in the coming year in all branches (of Aldi? Lidl?)

Tough sh*t. I have no sympathy with the Germans. First of all they introduce the Euro which instantly shoves the costs of manufacturing production in the cheaper countries upwards, thus removing the competitive advantages that Greece et al enjoy. Manufacturing takes off in Germany. The German banks then lend money to EU consumers to buy their products. In the meantime Helmut is enjoying the proceeds of german goods sold abroad whilst not having to buy any for himself. All of a sudden hey ho the economies that they have so exploited collapse and they the Germans are left to foot the bill. Serves them right.

[Doggy Styles]

Tough sh*t. I have no sympathy with the Germans. First of all they introduce the Euro which instantly shoves the costs of manufacturing production in the cheaper countries upwards, thus removing the competitive advantages that Greece et al enjoy. Manufacturing takes off in Germany. The German banks then lend money to EU consumers to buy their products. In the meantime Helmut is enjoying the proceeds of german goods sold abroad whilst not having to buy any for himself. All of a sudden hey ho the economies that they have so exploited collapse and they the Germans are left to foot the bill. Serves them right.

Soon they'll be left with only one option!

[TimberWolf]

Soon they'll be left with only one option!

The French will demand that Greeks pay unpayable loans and eventuality some Greek with a funny moustache will be born who says enough ist enough?

[Doggy Styles]

The French will demand that Greeks pay unpayable loans and eventuality some Greek with a funny moustache will be born who says enough ist enough?

I was thinking more along the lines of the Germans realising that the only way to save the euro, and save themselves from an eternity of propping up various profligate governments, is fiscal and political union.

I'm not sure how they would achieve that, which I suppose is where your man with the funny moustache might come into it...

[TimberWolf]

I was thinking more along the lines of the Germans realising that the only way to save the euro, and save themselves from an eternity of propping up various profligate governments, is fiscal and political union.

I'm not sure how they would achieve that, which I suppose is where your man with the funny moustache might come into it...

Cameron has been talking about greater 'fiscal integration' too. Maybe he means Euro by the back door, who knows.

[Churchill]

I was thinking more along the lines of the Germans realising that the only way to save the euro, and save themselves from an eternity of propping up various profligate governments, is fiscal and political union.

I'm not sure how they would achieve that, which I suppose is where your man with the funny moustache might come into it...

:nazi: <--

[Mich the Tester]

I was thinking more along the lines of the Germans realising that the only way to save the euro, and save themselves from an eternity of propping up various profligate governments, is fiscal and political union.

I'm not sure how they would achieve that, which I suppose is where your man with the funny moustache might come into it...

I sink ze germans mean zat zey vont more integration among Euro countries to enforce some fiscal discipline on profligate Euroland governments. I don't think they really want to tell non-Euro government what to do and they certainly won't want to tell the British to do anything that they won't do anyway (in terms of fiscal discipline).

I think actually they'd like the British to just help put pressure on the southern Europeans to get their bloody act together. The form of that help is always open to discussion.

[Jog On]

Compulsory Greek Debt Writedowns to Cost Taxpayers $55 Billion - Bloomberg

Taxpayers in the euro region may face losses of as much as 40 billion euros ($55 billion) should banks be forced to take writedowns on Greek bonds.