Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/459448
Opinion 17 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 8 FEBRUARY 2015 T he short-sighted narrative on the 'Greece issue' championed by the European Commission, the German government and shared also by our government, is that European taxpayers have forked out billions of euros to help the Greeks – who made a mess of their economy and then went on to create another mess with the huge amounts of money loaned – which they now need to repay back to the last cent. We cannot afford to be short sighted at a time of great histori- cal change in Europe; and Malta, in spite of its size, plays an im- portant role in this scenario. If we simply ask for our money back, we would be losing out on a great opportunit y to help shape our future, a future which in many ways is gradually being formed by others in our stead. The bankruptcy of Greece is not solely a Greek matter and the Greek debt issue is not simply a bilateral issue bet ween EU countries. Greece's gradual descent into economic disaster and its bank- ruptcy is a responsibility we all have to share as Europeans. When parliaments in Europe voted for the issuing of huge loans to Greece, everyone was aware that Greece could never pay those loans back, and we were also aware that the restructuring plans provided by the Troika, were nei- ther going to achieve their targets nor were they going to lead Greece towards a situation where it could repay all its loans. In fact, the targets of economic growth set by the Troika for Greece's restructuring plan – a plan based on neoliberalism and austerity measures such as large- scale privatizations and wage cuts – have not only been missed but have also led Greece into even deeper problems and crises. On paper, a 25% unemployment rate indicates a very serious prob- lem for Greece in general, but in reality, the Greek are hungry, cold and lack heating, the Greek are substantially demoralised, miser- able and depressed. The patronising tone of super- European leaders such as Angela Merkel and Jean-Claude Juncker, who claim that European agree- ments should remain valid, despite what an electorate might decide, will only strengthen Greece's prevailing feeling that Europe is not on their side. Is this the Europe we all want and which our forefathers have fought for in the last Great War? Alexis Tsipras's public visits to sites commemorating the war against Nazism are not simply acts to spite the Germans as tab- loids would like to put it, but are in fact, a cold reminder of what is literally at stake in the Greek crisis. The European Union is fail- ing its common citizens and the working-class, the same class which literally built Europe, is being decimated by the excesses of neoliberalism which the EU has been championing all along. If social democracy and left- wing parties fail to prevent this excessive drive from consuming us all, Europe will go to the dogs, with the alternative case scenario being the rise of the far right to power once again. Times are changing radically, and if we lose historical foresight, we will lose what we have gained through many years of struggle. This is not the Europe that the Social Charter proclaimed it to be; a Europe in which ever y indi- vidual has a right to the oppor- tunit y to choose one's career and field of work and make a good living out of it. Europe of today is turning out to be the Europe of austerit y, of precarious work, of ghettos and racial tensions, defi- nite contracts, debt and rent. My parents, like many other Europeans, lived the European dream; they started from nothing but worked hard to be able to buy a house and raise a family and this dream will soon be a thing of the past if we do not remain vigilant. It is for this reason that Syriza gives hope not only to Greeks, but to all Europeans who are feeling the excesses of neoliberalism in a ver y tangible manner. At this stage, we can either fight the new Greek government and demand to be repaid till the last single cent, or else we can focus on the overriding aspects of the situation: namely, the seismic shif ts of European capitalism imposing radical change to our previously Fukuyamist static and ideal stance in believing in a pro- gressively developing status quo. Now, we are gradually succumb- ing to a situation in which, prac- tically, the choice lies bet ween socialism or perpetual crisis. Mark Camilleri is chairman of the National Book Council Greece – It's about your future, not your money COURT NOTICE The Registrar, Civil Courts and Tribunals notifies that the First Hall of the Civil Court ordered the sale by Judicial Auction of the following property to be held in the corridors of the Courts of Justice, Republic Street, Valletta. Date, Judicial Sale No. and Time Property 12th February, 2015 52/14 – 11.00am EGL Two Garages on street level, named 'Manly' in Triq Antonio Caruana Gatto, Attard with measurements 2.1 by 11.5 metres and 3.8 by 11.5 metres respectively with a facade of 6.14 metres and a front garden of 3 metres. On the back of the garages there is a yard of 2 metres. The garages are valued at ninety three thousand and two hundred Euros ( !93,200) 12th February, 2015 57/13 – 11.30am PP • Appartment internally numbered two (2), forming part of a Block named Orange Court in Triq Dun Fran"isk Sciberras, Mellie#a, including an undivided share of the common parts of the block including door, entrance, stairs and stairwell, landings, water and drainage pipes, lift and shaft, free and ununcumbered valued one hundred and sixteen Euros and four hundred and sixty eight Euros.(!116,468) • Penthouse and overlaying airspace and terraces internally marked number four (4), forming part of a Block named Orange Court in Triq Dun Fran"isk Sciberras, Mellie#a, including an undivided share of the common parts of the block including door, entrance, stairs and stairwell, landings, water and drainage pipes, lift and shaft, free and ununcumbered valued one hundred and twenty eight thousand, one hundred and fifteen Euros (!128,115) • Garage internally marked with number one (1), forming part of a Block named Orange Court in Triq Dun Fran"isk Sciberras, Mellie#a, including an undivided share of the common parts of the garages which include ramp and drive in from which the garage is accessible and Garage internally marked with number two (2), forming part of a Block named Orange Court in Triq Dun Fran"isk Sciberras, Mellie#a, including an undivided share of the common parts of the garages which include ramp and drive in from which the garage is accessible and Garage internally marked with number three (3), forming part of a Block named Orange Court in Triq Dun Fran"isk Sciberras, Mellie#a, including an undivided share of the common parts of the garages which include ramp and drive in from which the garage is accessible These garages are free and ununcumbered valued ninety three thousand one hundred and seventy five thousand Euros (! 93,175). Further details can be obtained from the website: http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/courtservices/JudicialSales/search.aspx The bidders taking part in the auction must present their identity card. Rudolph Marmara' For the Registrar of Civil Courts and Tribunals Mark Camilleri