Greek government implies one thing and that says something else. Athens News today A statement by Sata President Thymios Lymberopoulos that Ragousis had left open the possibility of applying population criteria to determine the number of licences issued was later denied by the ministry, which noted that this would not act to liberalise the sector. 
It’s almost as if the Greek government knows they have made a mistake by deregulating so quickly but they cannot look weak (or compassionate) in the eyes of Greek citizens.
Citizen Protection Minister Christos Papoutsis noted that more than 80 prosecutions involving 6,500 taxi owners were underway and stressed that the police would do their duty and not allow anyone to close roads, ports and airports with impunity. As I have said before, these 80 “prosecutions”, the defendants should definitely plea “not guilty”. As I have said, it does not matter if the police have video footage, there is no way a jury of the taxi drivers peers would give a guilty verdict.
And again as I have said before, does the Greek government really want taxi drivers on the stand saying the sacrifices they have made to get the licenses? Saying the effects of killing this market will have on their lives and the lives of their children? I do not think so.
The Greek state has to show that the taxi drivers by blocking roads are acting against the public interest. The taxi drivers have at no point given the impression or acted in a way that has put them against the public. From reports in the media the taxi drivers have consistently acted against the state of Greece.
If the taxi drivers are acting against the state of Greece and for the people of Greece, which I believe they are, to repeat myself, there is no way they can be convicted.
Sata, the taxi driver union needs to stay strong and back their members. This is a straight battle of wills, the taxi drivers as citizens of Greece vs the Greek State.
The Greek taxi drivers need to expand the agenda of their strike. They need to show they are representing the Greek people with their strike. They need to say they are not just striking for licenses but they are striking for lower taxes and smaller government.
In other news, the Greek government is working with banks to give low cost loans to exporters.
Only government can be so stupid. The Greek economy is in a complete shambles that the government created. And yet, for someone unknown reason they still believe they have the answer to the problems they created. In a normal situation they/the government would have gone out of business and other people would have taken their place. Government live in their own reality though.
There are a number of big issues with this plan. First of all, what is the government involvement? What exactly is the governments/tax payers part in it?
It does not say.
Can I guess what the situation is?
The Greek government have said that any loans the banks make to these companies that goes bad, they will pick up the tab. ie if the banks make a mistake, the taxpayer will pay.
Taxpayers paying for the mistakes of banks. Tell me this is not what is happening here.
The second big issue that is not mentioned in the article is why Greek exporters need help anyway. Of course it is because Greece is not a competitive place to do business. Too many employment regulations, too much government red tape, too many taxes on everything.
But the government puts all that to one side and says the best solution, the best solution, is cheap loans. Forget everything else.
If there was ever a plan that will lead to corruption and general failure it is this. If slightly cheaper money was the difference between profitability and no profitability I am sure the companies would have found the money anyway.
So now instead of the best manufacturers getting help, the companies who have the time and who can fill out government paperwork to government standards will get help.
Again, I do not know why the Greek government thinks it is a better judge of a company than the people who actually buy the companies products.
In effect, with these low cost loans, the Greek government is saying it can say which company is the best and not the buying public.
What gives the Greek government reason to think this? And not just the Greek government, but any government
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