Is This Why We Mistrust Politician's?

[ChillDoubt]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9786000/9786058.stm

Is the EU itself inherently corrupt, or just some nations more than others?

[bazwillrun]

Yes it is.
Look when the last time it filed a set of accounts.

Under Neil Kinnock during his time their corruption was estimated to have increased by 50% (he was charged with stopping corruption, that hilarious in itself)

The women who was the "head eu accountant" went public about the state of and levels of corruption...... they sacked her

[Baldric]

Who in their right mind would ever trust a politician anyway?

[ichkeria]

Some nations are more corrupt than others

[emmie]

this is par for the course for many Greeks, sorry but why would anyone be surprised.

[sandyRoe]

Wasn't there a sort of commissioner appointed to oversee MPs expenses some time before the scandal about them came to public notice via the front page of The Telegraph?
She was sacked too. It's not just the Greeks.

[emmie]

sandy, my experience of Greeks is that they love to stash money away for a rainy day, away from the taxman, don't pay their tax bills even when they come, and will do anything to avoid paying it. Why do you think they are in such a mess, it isn't the only reason but it is and has been a big problem for a very long time.

[ChillDoubt]

Colleague in work who part owns a boat out there says exactly the same, em10.

[emmie]

one of my Greek friends gives me the low down, however have been to Greece many times, and they don't like to pay up that's for sure.

[Zeuhl]

em

with apologies to the OP and at the risk of turning News into Chatterbank or Travel

where are your favourite places in Greece?

[emmie]

crete
Lesbos
Cephalonia
Lemnos
Samos
Zakynthos
Kos
Paros
Santorini - was one of my favourites

left out a lot more simply because have forgotten the names
also loved Athens, lively entertaining, bit dirty, but fine city
did quite of bit of island hopping and travelling on their
rather, at the time, rustic buses.
got stranded in any number of places, but the people were wonderful, helpful, and i still love the food, it's not all taramasalata and olives...

[emmie]

i always wondered why the houses were left with metal poles sticking out of the top of the buildings, not sure even now, but believe it is or was to avoid paying a tax on the building, if it's not finished, then no tax, barking mad, but i just loved every minute spent in Greece.

[emmie]

who could not love Santorini

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destination/73192/Greek-Islands-travel-guide.html

[Zeuhl]

agree with all those em

crete is a favourite of mine too, mainly because it is big enough to still find relatively undeveloped parts and empty beaches

paros, kos, samos - been there, you're spot on
santorini is amazing but it felt a bit crowded for me

In 2004 I revisited Serafos which was the first island i ever visited back in 1980. It hadn't changed much - probably because it has no airport and is a slightly longer ferry ride from Piraeus.

Nice recollections for a winter's afternoon! thanks em

[Zeuhl]

sorry for typo

Serifos

[emmie]

i was trying to remember more, and the ruddy canal that has amazing views, shipping goes through it, but with a very tight squeeze, will have to look it up, oh dear...

[emmie]

my memory is not what it was. I stood on this seemingly fragile bridge looking down at the incredible sight over the canal, and right out to sea, staggering views and a sky colour that you can't get anywhere else, blue as lapis lazuli, makes me rather wish to go back

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=6997

[DangerUXD]

Baz is spot on, they appointed Kinnochio to root out corruption, Good old socialist that he is, the first thing he did was root out a courageous woman who exposed some corruption.

[emmie]

i thought Piraeus the dirtiest place ever been to, i know it's a port, but couldn't wait to get out of there.

[TWR]

Any member of the public committed fraud on the scale of M.P.s would be doing porridge, do THEY have a different way to prosecute M.P.s? or do M.P. Bye their way out of the justice system?