Dijsselbloem says Greece can become North or South Korea

Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem said the Greeks had a long tradition of  ‘filling one hole and opening another’, commenting on the prospect of Greece’s efforts to implement the harsh reforms agreed upon with the EU institutions. In an interview, the Dutch politician noted that if Greece is governed in a correct and decent manner then it will restore economic growth. Speaking on Dutch television he was very critical of the way Greek governments had been mired in corruption for decades, with disingenuous governments and a completely dysfunctional public sector. He estimated the reforms agreed between Greece and its EU partners would be an uphill task for the country pointing to a long ‘tradition’ of tax evasion, corruption and bad accounting practices. ‘It is up to Greece whether it wants to become North or south Korea. Absolute poverty or one of the richest countries in the world”, he said.