March 2, 2011

EU Commission tells Ireland's electorate to go to hell!

The following, completely unsurprising report, comes from today's Irish Times, linked here:

THE EUROPEAN Commission has ruled out any move by the incoming government to compel senior bondholders to bear losses on their investments in Ireland’s banks.
Although Fine Gael and Labour each pledged during the election they would impose losses on the holders of senior bank debt, economics commissioner Olli Rehn made it clear yesterday such a manoeuvre would not find support in Europe.
“The issue of bondholders – senior debt in the banks – is not on the cards nor on the agenda concerning Ireland,” Mr Rehn told reporters in Brussels.
The stance of the commissioner, who did not elaborate, was in line with the European Central Bank’s opposition to any default on senior bank bonds.

Read 'another fine mess Ollie' from last August here.

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August 25, 2010

Slovak PM slates EU Commissioner Ollie Rehn

Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radicová discussing the Greek bailout package. Radicová is quoted in Die Welt saying, "we show solidarity and take on responsibility...but we don't want people who acted irresponsibly to get money." When commenting on EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Ollie Rehn's public criticism for not taking part in the bailout she says: "the way in which [he], a non-elected official from Brussels, spoke about the freely elected members of the Slovakian parliament was insulting. I will demand an official apology for this from Brussels during my visit to Berlin".

"Europe must not be constituted by a big brother and many satellites which have to obey the larger, more powerful and wealthier. We remember very well what it means to be a satellite...I don't want to compare, I only want to highlight that democracy also means to listen to the arguments of those who may be very small but are aware of their responsibilities", she says in FAZ. She continues: "Talk that Slovakia is acting irresponsibly must stop. To say it in all clarity: When democratically elected politicians raise criticisms they have the right to do so. But European administrators do not have this right, not at any time".


A direct quote from Open Europe's press update this morning (with this blog editor's highlights). One must wonder where the Slovak parliamentarians have been hiding during recent years, are they not aware they signed democracy away with the Lisbon Treaty allowing those who like "fine messes" such as Ollie to run amok!

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