Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 8
By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:
Greece's new leftist government, feeding its people with impossible promises, is getting closer and closer to the boundaries of irreversibility and tries to solve its problems by going back and forth between different centers of power.
In fact, acting as a classic blackmailer, this country's government is trying to exert pressure on the EU through its relations with Russia, and at the same time put pressure on Russia with its participation in the project for the Southern Gas Corridor initiated by Azerbaijan.
Today, Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, during a visit to Moscow, is holding talks with the Russian leadership. These talks in particular are scheduled to discuss Greece's joining the pipeline of Russia and Turkey, the Turkish Stream.
However, let's not forget that, first of all, this project is not supported by Europe due to the fact that it is trying to reduce the gas pressure of Russia.
Secondly, Greece is a participant of the Southern Gas Corridor, which, in contrast to the Turkish Stream, is fully supported by the EU and aimed at ensuring its energy security.
As for the Southern Gas Corridor and Azerbaijan's gas, there is no doubt that the project will be implemented. When Azerbaijan's gas reaches Greece's borders, while Russia's gas doesn't, Greece will have only one choice.
In general, all the actions of Athens are simply an attempt to bargain as much as possible. The new government of the country seem to forget that the EU's energy security means Greece's own security.
Today, Greece needs money. The country faces economic recession due to the lack of sufficient amount of funds and despite all the promises, the country's new government also failed to stop this recession.
Therefore, any long-term promises for this country's new government are meaningless. It needs real funds and despite all the remarks about the opposite, Greek prime minister left for Moscow likely for these funds.
Is there any point for him to expect money from Russia? Not likely. Under the current circumstances, namely with a collapse in oil prices, sanctions, and the economic crisis, Moscow has no such funds.
Moreover, it is doubtful that Russia will offer funds to the government which under the conditions of deep economic crisis in its country is teetering on the brink. Even if Moscow allocates some funds, it will likely be aimed at "teasing" the West, rather than rendering real assistance to Athens.
Today, Russia, which has limited the import from European countries, proposes such countries as Greece to revise the food embargo regime and offer discounts for the gas.
It is also an important fact that the EU has already warned Athens about the inadmissibility of turning aside from the all-European policy with respect to Russia. European Parliament President Martin Schulz said that Greece asks for solidarity from the EU and gets it. The EU, for its part, also demands solidarity. Schulz made it clear who in this case "asks" and who "demands".
In any case, if it continues this way and instead of focusing on solving the problems, the Greek government continues to thrash about by trying to bargain as much as possible, the "new government" risks to become "former government".
Edited by SI
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Maksim Tsurkov is Trend Agency's staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
