Ten years after the summer of 2015, the Angela Merkelnow absent from the central political scene, she says in an interview that she would not change any of her choices on the management of the Greek debt crisis. Former German Chancellor, speaking to SKAI and Alexis Papachela, underlined her understanding of the difficulties experienced by Greek citizens, expressing her gratitude for their endurance and contribution to the country’s stay in the eurozone. However, he denied that he would apologize as he believed in the necessity of changes.
Merkel expressed her regret for identifying her with Nazism by a portion of the Greek press and demonstrators at that time. At the same time, he stressed that it was also affected by the widespread perception of “lazy Greeks”, underlining the inability of a whole people on the basis of stereotypes. “There are no Greeks and Germans, but people,” he said characteristically, pointing out that generalizations are preventing the problems solving.
Concerning the outbreak of the crisis, Merkel acknowledged that she realized the size of Greek debt in late 2009 to early 2010. In particular, she reported in February-March 2010 as the period when she fully realized the extent of the problem, following the disclosures of the then Prime Minister George.
Regarding the first discussions on Greek aid, Merkel expressed her surprise that no one asked Prime Minister Papandreou what she intended to do before Germany was intervened. He argued that the euro was not designed to support one country financially, which compiled the situation. She was waiting for a comprehensive plan from the Greek side, while recognizing the difficulty of the heritage that Papandreou had to manage, especially amidst the global financial crisis.
Finally, Angela Merkel was categorical in her desire to remain in the eurozone. “The euro is more than a currency,” he said, referring to Greece as the cradle of democracy. He pointed out that from the summer of 2010 to 2011, he made the irrevocable decision to make every effort to stay in the country, as a departure could create a dangerous precedent for the whole European building. He also referred to specific problems, such as the sale of baby foods only in pharmacies and the lack of a cadastre, as examples that had to be corrected with respect and love for the country.