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EU COMMISSIONER Olli Rehn has issued a statement calling on Greece to pass its €28bn austerity package, despite the plan’s unpopularity.
Rehn says that Greece faces a “critical juncture”, but must pass its package because the future of Greece and the financial stability of Europe in general “are at stake”.
The commissioner was clear that there is no other option open to Greece in avoiding a default:
The only way to avoid immediate default is for parliament to endorse the revised economic programme. The programme includes both the medium-term fiscal strategy and the privatisation programme. They must be approved if the next tranche of financial assistance is to be released.To those who speculate about other options, let me say this clearly: there is no Plan B to avoid default.
The European Union continues to be ready to support Greece. But Europe can only help Greece if Greece helps itself.
All in all, the Greek people and their democratic representatives now face a critical choice. Reforming the economy is certainly challenging, but it remains a far better alternative than a default, which would hit the most disadvantaged and vulnerable hardest. I therefore call on Greece’s political leaders to assume this responsibility, and at the same time to look for next steps and to create a necessary political consensus, taking the whole nation forward to overcome the current challenges.
Rehn also said that the package was about “social justice”, including fighting tax evasion and developing entrepreneurship in support of “honest work”.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Athens today at the start of a 48-hour general strike in protest against the austerity package. The Greek parliament is due to vote on the measures tomorrow and on Thursday.
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Seriously, why bother.They are only ego boosted humans.
Your brother Bill wouldn’t be impressed with the comment Mike!!
Ego boosted ?
That’s what people who give their time for charity are called is it ?
I’d meet with my fans for the cost of a few jars in Mulligan’s in Poolbeag Street
Fiver to meet the cast of tallafornia any takers!
A fiver? I couldn’t do it for less than €100 and a pair of earplugs.
Can I pay a fiver to avoid them?
Why is tyson considered a hero? He is a drug addicted, woman abuser and convicted rapist. What a lovely man.
Eamonn, all the druggies and women beaters want to meet their heros too :)
Bono’ s misses and kids must be broke if he charges that much.
He didn’t charge anything, your having a go at him for zero reason. It was charity auctions, if it had been just €100 euro raised Bono et al would have still honored the commitment
You obviously didn’t read the article.
28k to meet Bon Jovi? What’s he going to do…ask you for the receipt before he comes out of his dressing room? I wouldn’t open the curtains to see him if he was standing in the garden.
Im a bit weary of peeping tom’s too.
Imagine what would happen when its pay up time and u said to Tyson….. “Now u know I’m paying in butter vouchers” haaaaa,
If and a big IF money wasn’t an issue I think I’d love to hang out with bill c for weekend. I’d say he is great fun-imagine going pulling a few Sheila’s with him,oh the crack would be 90
I’m kind of glad Bono earned the most amount of money, being all about Charity I’m sure he was glad too. Makes you proud to be Irish :-)
You could make yourself a handy ?200 meeting the cast of fair city! I believe that’s what they’re paying to meet people these days..:)
Ha ha ha
Some people have far to much money and not enough sense.
Celine Dion has gone really downhill, she’s playing in a tapas bar in Malaga called Los Vegas these days apparently.
They’re all pretty cheap compared to Warren Buffet, he has being offering himself for an annual charity lunch for the last 12 years now. The auctions happen on ebay and are open to all. Back in June a man paid a cool $3.46m to have lunch with him, up on the previous years $2.6m. He’s raised over $14m for charity since he’s being doing it.
And Bono can only get $161,000, pah !
As long as it’s charity,,,,, then the more the better.
why not just give the miney directly to charity and cut out all the ego massaging and celebrity worshiping
How much would the single, or married men, that post here pay to spend the the day with the lovely Michelle Hennessey? What do ya mean Michelle’s booked out? Alright then I’ll spend the day chilling with that Bono lad then Mr agent…….
Wouldn’t spend anything nor waste my time on this sort of trivial nonsense
Or night
Hw much would anyone pay to spend the day with Enda..?
Hey, it’s a way of making money. You’d do it too if someone offered you 20k to spend time with you. An odd business, but a business all the same.
Oh and editors, it’s ‘Las Vegas’
CHARITY.
The bit about Diddy was brilliant. Just brilliant. Well done Mr/Ms Business Insider.
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