Politics

Syriza lectured Europe instead of fixing Greek economy, says Burton

Tánaiste’s comments make sharpening of Coalition rhetoric in Greek crisis

Fiach Kelly
Thu Jun 25 2015 - 20:10

Tánaiste Joan Burton has accused the Syriza-led Greek government of spending more time "lecturing" the rest of Europe than running its own economy.

In the strongest comments yet by an Irish Government Minister on the Greek crisis, Ms Burton also accused Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis of being "less than persuasive" in reassuring people that any support provided to Greece would be "money well spent".

“There have been times this year when it seemed that Syriza was more interested in lecturing the rest of Europe, rather than persuading us that they can run the Greek economy,” she said.

“We need to be persuaded just that the Greek government can be part of the solution and not part of the problem.”

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The Tánaiste's comments were made at a Labour Party economic policy forum in Galway and mark a sharpening of Irish Government rhetoric towards the Greek government.

Solidarity

While Ms Burton said she hoped a deal could be done with Greece for the release of the remaining funds provided for in the second bailout, she added: “Solidarity with Greece comes at a price.”

A third Greek bailout, by no means a "foregone conclusion", would mean Ireland would have to provide "tens of millions of euro, money which the Irish Government will have to borrow".

“So, when Yanis Varoufakis asks the Irish people for solidarity, he also needs to persuade us that any support we give will be money well spent,” Ms Burton said.

“We also need to be persuaded that the Greek government will keep its promises – not just its promises to international institutions such as the IMF, but also the undertakings given to small countries such as Ireland who are themselves under fiscal pressure. And so far, the case made by Mr Varoufakis is less than persuasive.

“It is a matter of fact that when Syriza came to power, the Greek economy was out of recession, the budget was heading towards a primary surplus and there was a real sense that the corner was about to be turned.

“Now just six months later, the economy is back in recession, people have stopped paying taxes; the banks are on life support and the whole economy is on the point of collapse.”

She claimed the current “appalling” situation in Greece showed “the measure of what Ireland has achieved”.

Ms Burton also said it was “genuinely shocking that an advanced European nation has come so close to economic collapse”.