Mauro, Ρ. (2015) “Greece’s Reprieve: In Praise of Kicking the Can Down the Road“, Peterson Institute, RealTime Economic Issues Watch, 24 Φεβρουαρίου.   The melodrama in Greece has produced demands that Athens and its European partners take decisive action to fix a complicated situation once and for all. In fact, kicking the can down the road—as the players did recently to avert a financial crisis—is an underrated and long-standing feature …Read More

Crook, C. (2015) “What Germany Owes Greece“, BloombergView, 19 Φεβρουαρίου.   How much does it matter, if at all, that Greece’s demand for a new bailout program with softer terms is being pressed by a new government, elected for that very purpose — a government that retains solid support even as its standoff with other European Union governments drags on? How much does democracy matter in a situation like this? …Read More

Weisbrot, M. (2015) “Who’s Extorting Whom? It’s All About Coercion“, The Huffington Post, 17 Φεβρουαρίου.   The Economist‘s Feb. 6 cover displayed the Venus de Milo statue pointing a revolver, with the headline “Go ahead, Angela, make my day.” In the editors’ upside-down world, Greece is threatening Europe, or at least Germany. Really? On Monday, Feb. 16, European officials “handed Athens an ultimatum: Agree by Friday to continue with a …Read More

Weisbrot, M. (2015) “Greece: ECB Kicks Syriza in the Face; Syriza Turns the Other Cheek“, The Huffington Post, 05 Φεβρουαρίου.   On Wednesday the European Central Bank (ECB) announced that it would no longer accept Greek government bonds and government-guaranteed debt as collateral. Although Greece would still be eligible for other, emergency lending from the Central Bank, the immediate effect of the announcement was to raise Greek borrowing costs and …Read More