Will Chancellor Merkel's Deal with Turkey Destroy What's Left of Greece after Her Austerity Ultimatum?

Politicians can be so despicable that denouncing them seems inadequate -- Germany's self-serving, cynical stance about the European migrant crisis this weekend, for example. While fellow EU member Greece is under virtual migrant seige, on Sunday, the day before the first expulsions of refugees from Greece to Turkey under a deal concocted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to slow the flow of migrants to Germany, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told the Tagesspeigel he thinks the migrant crisis has peaked : "It is with great caution that I say the high point of the migrant crisis is behind us." He said the number of migrants arriving in Germany from Austria -- the main entry point for refugees -- fell to 140 a day in March, compared to thousands a few months ago. Yes, because the Austrian army keeps migrants out of Austria, so they pile up at Austria's borders with Italy and the Balkans. ~~~~~ The German public forced Chancellor Merkel to slow the arrival of migrants after 1.1 million people entered Germany last year -- Merkel invited them with open arms and forced the rest of the EU to do the same. When her usually obedient sheep refused, Merkel did the deal with Turkey to take back migrants passing from Turkey to Greece and on to Germany. Turkey demanded €6 billion as a first payment. The Chancellor ponied up. Merkel's political problem was solved. But, others believe migrants will increase when new routes open up, such as crossing from Libya to Italy. Merkel's de Maziere says : "If people come via this route again, we will need to find similar solutions like we did with Turkey and also start talks with North African countries," proposing reception centers in North Africa for migrants returned to Italy from northern EU countries -- in exchange for humanitarian programs. That's political-speak for paying German Euros. ~~~~~ While Germany celebrates, Greece nears chaos. The Greek government expects more violence with Monday's implemention of Merkel's deal, when 750 migrants will be sent back to Turkey. Rioting, rebellion, and roadblocks by thousands of trapped refugees across Greece have raised alarms in Athens about how to enforce a deal already challenged by the UN over its legality. Greek islands are flashpoints, with as many as 800 people breaking out of a razor-wired detention center Friday. On the Greece-Macedonia border, migrants break into empty houses and block roads. Greece's migration spokesman, Giorgos Kyritsis, says : "We are expecting violence. People in despair tend to be violent. The whole philosophy of the deal is to deter human trafficking [into Europe] from the Turkish coast, but it is going to be difficult...” ~~~~~ Is Chancellor Merkel, the de facto EU president, helping Greece? Not much. On Sunday, hours before the first expulsions from Greece to Turkey, Kyritsis said Frontex, the EU border agency, has not sent needed personnel to oversee the operation. Eight Frontex boats will transport men, women and children, detained on Greek islands and selected for deportation, back across the sea to Turkey following fast-track asylum hearings. But of the 2,300 officials the EU promised Greece, only 200 have arrived. Kyritsis admitted : "We are still waiting for the legal experts and translators they said they would send. Even Frontex personnel haven’t got here yet.” Nor has Greece received the humanitarian aid it was promised. So, Greece, bankrupt and under the thumb of Merkel and her northern European financial henchmen, manages the crisis -- and continuing refugee flows -- alone and on very limited funds from the state budget. ~~~~~ Dear readers, migrants may destroy what's left of Greece after Merkel's draconian austerity. Merkel's popularity is improving, but her Greece-bashing conservative bloc still suffers. A Sunday poll put it at a four-year low of 33%, while the anti-immigrant AfD party is up 1 point at 13%. How long will Merkel's Turkish fix work? While Merkel's Euros last. As Margaret Thatcher said : “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."