The enemy of Portugal

Fortunately the hated Merkel exists and was re-elected. Would have been catastrophic if the right wind dissent of Merkel, who thinks the Germans do not have to continue paying the South headed, had entered the Parliament. Although they involve huge errors, Merkel has a strategy and this strategy goes on putting up with the Euro. Fortunately for Portugal, that is part the European Union and the common currency.

The memories are too short and the critics of the European Union, they forget that before the creation of the EU, Europe lived in a constant state of war that cost millions of lives in the past 100 years. A divided Europe, radical and imperialist, filled with anti-democratic and dictatorial governments. Despite their huge flaws, Europe today is a peaceful continent and a model of development, as well as the guarantor of individual freedoms and respect for human rights.

The Germany is the country that engaged the most in the construction of the European Union and in a peaceful Europe, but also argues that the countries, who have done mistakes, including Portugal, must strive to earn your they’re pay. This we do not like, but is that so wrong?

In this crisis from hell the countries that violated the most basic rules are the victims. The aggressors’ countries who bombard innocent countries are cleared; those countries which “steel” resources of third world countries and supporting dictators are praised for defending their interests. But the Germans are criticized and required them to pay the crisis without a protest or a bad guy on behalf of guilt of 1939-1945. Consider a lack of this critical responsibility, this asshole hatred.

I don’t understand what some press and some Portuguese intellectuals want from Germany. I hear of an ungrateful and oppressive Germany, neo-Nazi and anti-Latin. People really think the Germans have to pay the debts of others without requiring anything in return? Being Europe’s main creditor shall it not be entitled to get its money and require changes in countries that abused and had an intervention?

This does not mean blind obedience. Germany is making a big political mistake, but Europe should make a concrete and constructive criticism and not to promote a campaign of hate and prejudice, based on historical facts. Germany, like the others, also have self-interest. Portugal must engage in renegotiation, debt adjustment and also the deadlines.

As much as it costs to the Portuguese and detractors unaware who easily criticizes in coffee conversations or who read the Financial Times and think they’re economists, anti-Merkel makes even less sense when we get to the simple job of stopping to think. Angela Merkel is the only friend that Europe has in Germany. The Germans are saturated to divert savings for cohesion funds and bailouts to countries ruled by irresponsible and corrupt people.

If she had not managed prudently this crisis, if she hadn’t listened to the requests of austerity of his electorate, Merkel would have opened a space for a large division within the anti-Euro electoral space campaign of CDU. There is already a right-wing party led by an ex-CDU (Bernd Lucke) but fortunately this “Alternative fur Deustchland” did not entered the Parliament (4.7% of votes). However we should not lower our guard, as 4.7% of the German electorate voting on AfD already gives me creeps and the mere presence of this party points the finger to the worst of possible futures: a Germany back to southern Europe and smiling at his classical influence area, central and Eastern Europe. It is no coincidence; Russophile is the great sin of Merkel’s Germany (Portuguese article).

I’m sick of our smallness and meanness politics. I don’t want to attack the parties, I defend democracy and there is no democracy without parties. But sometimes I get the feeling that these parties, with these directions and policies are discrediting not only themselves, but also make people not believe in democracy itself.

I’m sick of the tantrums, the stubbornness and total inability of the Portuguese political system dialogue. And not to mention those who are able to separate the world into good and bad, being that the good, pure and friends of the poor are just them.

I am referring to the idea that our salvation does not depend on us, but of the favours or reforms that others do. I am referring to the outraged speeches that never depart from the principle that we’re almost bankrupt and that this was the work of many years and in which they were decision-makers. I am referring to the lies of that claim that there will be no more cuts. Why to insist on hiding the truth?

I am referring to excessive rents from monopolistic companies. EDP (our national electric company provider), that everyone speaks, but without which, none of us can fully understand what each, invoice means but no one does nothing about. I mean the total inability to reform the State, because of the Constitutional Court, vigilant, that does not allow cut spending, although we may stay the same without money via revenue, namely taxes, fees, penalties and fines that every day we are discovering.

It’s hard to write without every once in a while, at least, cleanse the soul. Tomorrow, I will be more confident, but today I’m honestly sick of this whole crowd of politics. Not the country, but the people who rules it.