Psychopaths
© SOTT.net
In what the Atlantic magazine called 'one of Europe's dumbest moves yet', the euro-group finance ministers apparently let it be known via leaks what kind of contingency 'emergency measures' they are considering to implement in the event of a Greek exit from the euro area.

We are actually glad this has come out into the open, as this demonstrates the enormous price citizens are likely to pay in the end if the ongoing bailout charade fails. As always, a perceived emergency is getting to the point where it is ever more likely that it will be used as an opportunity to severely limit individual liberties and in this particular case interfere massively with peoples' property rights to boot - all 'for their own good' of course.

As Reuters reports:
"European finance officials have discussed limiting the size of withdrawals from ATM machines, imposing border checks and introducing euro zone capital controls as a worst-case scenario should Athens decide to leave the euro.

EU officials have told Reuters the ideas are part of a range of contingency plans. They emphasized that the discussions were merely about being prepared for any eventuality rather than planning for something they expect to happen - no one Reuters has spoken to expects Greece to leave the single currency area. [that almost guarantees it will, ed.]

But with increased political uncertainty in Greece following the inconclusive election on May 6 and ahead of a second election on June 17, there is now an increased need to have contingencies in place, the EU sources said.

The discussions have taken place in conference calls over the past six weeks, as concerns have grown that a radical-left coalition, SYRIZA, may win the second election, increasing the risk thatGreece could renege on its EU/IMF bailout and therefore move closer to abandoning the currency. No decisions have been taken on the calls, but members of the Eurogroup Working Group, which consists of euro zone deputy finance ministers and heads of treasury departments, have discussed the options in some detail, the sources said.

Belgium's finance minister, Steve Vanackere, said at the end of May that it was a function of each euro zone state to be prepared for problems. These discussions have been in that vein, with the specific aim of limiting a bank run or capital flight.

As well as limiting cash withdrawals and imposing capital controls, they have discussed the possibility of suspending the Schengen agreement, which allows for visa-free travel among 26 countries, including most of the European Union. "Contingency planning is underway for a scenario under which Greece leaves," one of the sources, who has been involved in the conference calls, said. "Limited cash withdrawals from ATMs and limited movement of capital have been considered and analyzed."

Another source confirmed the discussions, including that the suspension of Schengen was among theoptions raised.

"These are not political discussions, these are discussions among finance experts who need to be prepared for any eventuality," the second source said. "It is sensible planning, that is all, planning for the worst-case scenario."

The first official said it was still being examined whether there was a legal basis for such extreme measures." [thanks for the laugh, ed.]
(emphasis added)

Nota bene, this is 'sensible planning' for a worst case scenario that their policies will have brought about. As to the 'legal basis for such extreme measures', who's kidding whom here? Since when do governments require a 'legal basis' for anything they want to do when there's an 'emergency' on? That would be a first!

Now, apart from the fact that this is the clearest signal yet to people everywhere in the euro area's periphery that they must get their money out of the banks as quickly as possible, we are fatally reminded of how the confiscatory deflation in Argentina began in 2001. At first ATM and deposit withdrawals were severely limited, then banks were simply closed altogether for a while (the infamous 'bank holiday'), then the money of depositors was gone/and or devalued via forcible conversion of dollar deposits into pesos that promptly crashed. All of this was done not to save the savers and depositors from themselves, but to save the banks. We already know that the eurocrats will do anything to save insolvent banks, so why not as a 'last resort' interfere with the property rights of depositors?

The idea of imposing capital controls and limiting the free movement of people across borders are likewise threats that must make every thinking person wonder what the hell the whole 'rescue operation' is supposed to be 'rescuing'. After all, these are basic tenets of the EU treaties the possible suspension of which the eurocrats are discussing here. This is what the EU was established for in the first place: to enable the free movement of people, goods and capital. If these are suspended, then what is it that is being rescued?

It seems rather obvious to us that when citizens can no longer get their property from the banks and can no longer move their bodies and capital freely within the EU, then what is 'protected' are not they, but the solely the bankers and the political and bureaucratic elite.