An indignant Greece slammed EU and International Monetary Fund inspectors, overseeing its efforts to reform its debt-crippled economy. The nation accused them Saturday of overstepping their role and interfering in Greece’s internal affairs.
In an unusually harshly worded, pre-dawn statement, government spokesman Giorgos Petalotis (photo) called the behavior of the inspectors at a Friday news conference unacceptable.
“We have needs, but we also have limits. And we do not negotiate the limits of our dignity with anyone,” Petalotis said. “We take orders only from the Greek people.”
It was the first time the government has publicly struck back at the IMF and the European Union, which rescued Greece from bankruptcy, but at a price that many Greeks consider too harsh.
Papandreou spoke by phone with Dominique Strauss-Kahn to discuss the issues, according to an e-mailed statement from the prime minister’s office today. Strauss-Kann is the managing director of the Washington-based IMF.
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