Europe

I love Germany because in many ways their culture is similar to ours - only far more organised and efficient. I love Greece because it's people are so much more easy going (except in Athens) And the weather is much better. Chalk and cheese. Trading nations yes. Part of the same country, which is where we're heading, no.

I knew the Greeks don't believe in taxation. And their land inheritance problems are a nightmare. It's always been common knowledge hasn't it? I believe the Italians are quite good at tax evasion too.

So BaNana feel better now for getting your anti-German feelings off your chest? It was not Germany alone that decided Greece could join. It was a joint decision.The UK and France were in this as well. I think no one knew that not only were the Greeks not paying their taxes, but they didn't have a tax system at all. There are no records of who earns what or who lives where or owns what piece of land. All Germany wants is that Greece starts to get a computerised system together for the collection of taxes.

The situation is such that the German taxpayer who works efficiently, punctually and very hard for his/ her money can't go on subsidising the Greeks without their making an effort.
Bye the way, there are enough Greek billionaires in the world to bale Greece out.

I was happy with the common market we signed up to. A small group of trading nations. But the fear many had that it would escalate into something more has proved correct. I get the feeling that our United Kingdom is fast become a mere state with a decidedly parochial Parliament.

Sticking puppet unelected governments in Greece and Italy is extremely undemocratic. It's all very well Angela Merkel waving her finger at the Greeks for their evasion of taxes but Germany knew that Greece wasn't ready to meet the criteria to join the Eurozone, but they presided over them falsifying their accounts and turned a blind eye to their financial unsuitability so they would have yet another market to shove all their Porsche Cayennes and other stuff to. What is happening in Greece is awful, the poor are practically starving and they now have the rise of the far right. The irony is that a United States of Europe was supposed to bring the nations of Europe together, instead insulting national stereotypes are emerging all round. Then of course there is all the money that has to be wasted on the enormous number of bureaucrats and why do they have to move between two parliaments, Brussels and Strasbourg for heavens sake whilst simultaneously imposing all manner of new green initiatives on the rest of us. Usual disconnect between how the powers that be conduct themselves and how they expect us, the plebs, to behave.

We joined. I think it was a mistake but once we were in then that was it. We need to get on with it and become part of the union properly rather than this bitching, complaining annoyance.

I live in Germany and in today's paper I read that time is running out for the UK and if they don't get their act together and decide to see their future in the EU then they will be sidelined and then presumably OUT.

There is an old German proverb . Be careful! your wish may come true.

Nfk It's a bit tricky to renegotiate back to something that no longer exists. Given that most British exports go to Europe and the strong commercial links with Commonwealth countries that used to exist have mostly disappeared, I cannot see any advantage in attempting renegotiation or withdrawal.

Oh yes, Getting out would be nice! But I fear that, like complete Scottish independence, we're in too deep to extricate ourselves completely.

Or get out completly ???