Agora
What would Willy do?
One hundred years ago, on 18 December 1913, the former German Chancellor and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Willy Brandt was born in Lübeck. The charismatic leader of the German Social Democratic Party and the Socialist International, who died 1992, has not ceased to inspire politicians and academics around the world with his books, speeches and especially his courageous foreign policy – the new Ostpolitik.
Contributor: Christos Katsioulis
Categories: Europe (279), Politics (374)
![Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]](resources/toolip/img-thumb/2013/12/11/bankofcyprus_1000_myrto_1112-large.jpg "Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]")
Cyprus in 2014: Looking ahead
Cyprus has the habit of grabbing international attention in a global way, only to then be marginalised as a footnote when the immediate crisis seems to have abated. This has been historically true in issues of communal violence and the Annan plan, in what we Cypriots call “the original Cyprus problem”. Sadly for Cyprus, this is also seems to hold true in regards to its financial crisis.
Contributor: Alexander Apostolides
Categories: Politics (374), Economy (316)
Debt relief or debt restructuring for Greece?
The two economic adjustment programmes for Greece from 2010 and 2012 as well as the sovereign debt restructuring from April 2012 and the debt buyback initiative in December of the same year have had a significant impact on the debt profile of Greece as a sovereign creditor. Greece’s creditor structure in 2013 compared to the point of departure in 2010 hardly bears any resemblance.
Contributor: Jens Bastian
Categories: Europe (279), Economy (316), Greece (479)
After Q3 results, what next for Greek banks?
The announcement of Greek banks’ third quarter (Q3) results did not result in any major surprises, while at the same time confirming expectations of a domestic net interest income (NII) rebound, cost containment and deceleration in the increase of non-performing loans (NPLs).
Contributor: Manos Giakoumis
Categories: Economy (316), Greece (479)
Of symmetry and adjustments in the eurozone
The global crisis that erupted in 2007 in the financial sector evolved into a local eurozone sovereign debt crisis in the fall of 2009, when Greece revealed serious problems in the management of public finances. Since then, the prevailing narrative has been what I called the “Berlin View”, calling into question the governments of some countries of the European periphery, particularly Greece, Spain and Italy.
Contributor: Francesco Saraceno
Categories: Europe (279), Economy (316)