Germany sends out a signal ahead of the Greek elections later this month. On Saturday, the authoritative weekly Der Spiegel, citing circles close to Angela Merkel, wrote that - according to the chancellor - Greece's possible exit from the Eurozone "wouldn't be a drama", because there would no longer be the risk of contagion to other European countries.
At first, neither the Chancellery nor the Finance Ministry, the hawkish Wolfgang Schaeuble, wanted to comment on the news. Later, however, the deputy spokesman for the Berlin government, Georg Streiter, denied it, assuring the Dpa agency that "there is no change of course" on Greece and on the possibility of its exit from the area currency.
On the other hand, the hypothesis that Athens could return to the drachma no longer seems to be in question. On January 25, Greek voters will be called to the polls for early elections and in the polls Syriza, an alternative left party led by Alexis Tsipras, has the advantage, who in recent months has reiterated several times that "Greece will not leave the euro: that risk ended in 2012.” The real crux at the center of the controversy is, rather, Syriza's intention to renegotiate the Greek public debt again.
Meanwhile, on this very chapter, a few days ago an investigation by the Frankfurter Allgeimeine Zeitung based on a report by the Troika highlighted that Athens pays lower interest on its debt than those recognized by Germany: 2,4% against 2,7. XNUMX%. And the merit, according to the German newspaper, is the "very favorable" conditions granted to Greece with international loans. However, in the event of victory in the elections, Syriza intends to re-discuss those same agreements, believing that the austerity imposed by the Troika in exchange for credit is at the root of the social and humanitarian crisis that still afflicts the country.
“Greece has fulfilled its obligations in the past – Streiter said -. The German government says it will continue to meet its contractual obligations with the Troika. Every government must honor the commitments signed by the previous executive".
