Watch Live: Congressional Hearing on IRS Scandal

Live Now on TheBlaze Radio: ‘The Buck Sexton Show’

Business

How Broke Is Greece? This Broke

Feb. 26, 2013 8:30am Jonathon M. Seidl

Greece so broke the Red Cross has stopped supplying it with blood

A pedestrian walks by as a homeless man sleeps on a metro air vent above an underground station to warm up as at the background a huge Greek flag is seen in Omonia Square, central Athens, on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Greece’s annual gross domestic product is set to contract by 4.5 percent this year, the report said, which matches revised government forecasts. Successive tax hikes and state spending cuts have pushed unemployment up to 27 percent, according to data for last November, while 61.7 percent of workers under age 24 are jobless. Credit: AP

BERLIN (TheBlaze/AP) — The Swiss branch of the Red Cross says it is cutting its supply of donor blood to Greece because the country has failed to pay its bills on time.

The head of the Swiss Red Cross’ transfusion service says the number of blood packets delivered to Greece will be halved to 14,000 by 2020.

Rudolf Schwabe on Tuesday confirmed Swiss media reports that Greece had run up debts of several million Swiss francs (dollars) in the past.

Those debts have been repaid but Schwabe says the non-profit SRC took the decision to limit its financial risk.

The Swiss blood sent to Greece comes from unused emergency stockpiles. It helps meet high demand in Greece caused by the prevalence of thalassemia, a genetic disorder whose carriers need regular blood transfusions.

Swissinfo.ch has more on the need for blood in Greece:

Annual shipments of around 28,000 blood pockets to Greece have been considered part of the SRC’s humanitarian mandate. Around ten per cent of the Greek population suffers from thalassaemia, an inherited blood disorder that results in the excessive destruction of red blood cells. This in turn leads to anaemia.

People suffering from thalassaemia cannot donate blood, so the Greek authorities rely on Swiss imports to make up for blood shortfalls, given that most European countries do not export. Some patients require transfusions every three to four weeks, often relying in Greece on family and friends as donors.

However, two months ago, the Swiss transfusion service signed a new contract with the Greek health ministry that will become effective in 2015 and will see the number of blood pockets delivered eventually halved from 28,000 by 2020.

The United States used to also purchase blood from the Swiss but stopped that practice in the 90s when mad cow disease struck.

This story has been updated.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (106)

huey6367
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:06am
How much longer will the EU prop up this diseased country. They are not willing to change. They spend more than they make. It is a catastrophe waiting to happen. Take note America, this is us if we don’t change.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
markthespark
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 4:53pm
What a situation they are in. Socialism=hell on Earth.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
cantwaitfor2012
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 3:01pm
What if we just ignore the trolls in the tank for Obozo? Just fail to acknowledge they ever post? None of us can ever change their feeble minds, which are already made up and can’t be bothered with the FACTS? DON”T FEED THE TROLLS!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Tom K
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 2:41pm
Thanks to our Progressive politicians, our economy is tightly interwoven with the economies of the rest of the world, including Europe. Once failure began, there was no return, each country will fail, one by one until there is a Worldside Economic Crisis. The Same Progressives will have a “plan ” to save us all and that plan will look like the one operating in Greece right Now.. Pray to God our Father to return His propective hand to America.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
FyreFury
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 1:35pm
This is only part of Obama’s plan. I pray things don’t crumble but i just don’t see him giving up his presidency “reality tv” show….

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
demsrtraitors
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 1:33pm
If you accept socialism you deserve it. Just like the United States will get its just deserves for accepting liberalism/ socialism/ communism and the democrat party.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
RNM
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 1:23pm
We are not Greece… so the obsession of reporting on their downfalls as some sort of “carnary in the coalmine” for the US is meaningless. I’m not saying our debt is NOT a problem… I’m just saying… we are not Greece, whose economy is quite one dimensional (tourism).

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Warphead
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 1:01pm
How broke is Greece? Somebody stole their identity and their credit rating went up.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
zgomer
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:51pm
Who cares! LOL!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Gargent_Furball
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:49pm
J Rook you need to back to school to add things up right. Who got us in debt the Most.

Yes bush was an az but Obamnamama has no Idea on how math works.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
ellietoo
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:28pm
Yeah, it’s pretty bad when the Red Cross cuts off your blood supply. Couldn’t some of those unemployed sell their blood like in the US? It’s sad but they created the problem…..just like in the US.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:13pm
European blood is pretty sketchy. They have different types.
Keep in mind this stuff like organs thrives on the black market.
Those chinese love to sell the organs of political dissidents (& christians) and they remove them before they are dead- keeps the organs fresh longer.
God only know what big pharma manages out of all those aborted babies. I ‘d be leery of the “bio- identical’ hormones. They ain’t just horse piss anymore!. Right, Wyeth?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
666Sucks
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:08pm
The first time God wiped man off the earth He used a flood, but then felt remorse and said he would not not do that again. but He didn’t say he would stop us from destroying ourselves! So this time God stepped back and let The Lord of the Flies step in and he gave us communism! And the people rejoiced, and it was good (for the lazy who groveled at the hooves of the communists) and communism spread throughout the land till all that had been achieved by those who followed God’s will and who had made plenty enough to share with those less fortunate was squandered away because they became outnumbered by those who did nothing and took all from those who made plenty. And when those who made plenty had nothing left, not even to share, communism began once again, to kill off those who could or would not produce!Well,,,,,,,,, it looks like the culling of the Greek herd will start with a shortage of blood!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Beachmastermax
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:25am
What I can’t believe is that the young people of this country can’t see how they are being ripped off royaly. Can’t they see that all this is being caused by the older generations voting themselves opulent retirement packages to be funded with their futures? Would they allow their grandma to run up their personal credit card debt in order to take cruise line vactions and then vote for a guy that allows that and keeps raising the debt limit on them? Obviously so!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
pragmaticpatriot
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:19am
Assimilation didnt go so well, did it? Greece bled dry, Italy next in line….

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
NachtundNebel
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:17am
We have an ignorance problem. Apparently, 51% of the US population are either astoundingly stupid or committed, hard-core Marxists. Either way, I’m with Romney – I really don’t give a **** what happens to them.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
MrKnowItAll
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:00am
Fact: If you have a FAIR Tax rate. People will pay it with no Questions. We all know what happens when you stick it to people. To Greece: Conserve Toilet paper….Use BOTH Sides.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
FlagWavingPatriot
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:53am
It’s really something how the definition of “broke” has changed over the years.

In the good old days, broke meant you had no money…no money in your pocket, no money in the bank and maybe a few quarters in the ash tray.

Now the definition of broke is that you’ve got no money, sold everything in your house, maxed out your credit cards, are 4 months behind in all your payments, borrowed all you can from family, sold your gold fillings, lost your car to repossession, stole your neighbors speakers and knocked off 7/11 or two.

The truth is Greece was broke a long time ago. So is the United States. We are so far fast broke we’d have to print money from now until Jesus returns just to see “broke” with the Hubble telescope.

When it all crashes here, all of this wealthy professional politicians that caused it will run away to refuges with their buckets of money and live out their lives in luxury, while the rest of us pay for their incompetence, stupidity and arrogance.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
battles
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:49am
As long as they can still buy a Baklava, it will not be considered to be broken.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Sweetrae
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:49am
@JRook. Show up here to post your BS because at Daily Caller you idiotic rantings of Reagan and Bush ran up 10 trillion dollar deficit. You’re a moron if you honestly believe you own comments. Of course you sound like a European communist so you probably do believe your babblings. Here’s some facts Skippy JRook:

2008’s deficit was $459 billion. The deficit for 2009 was $1.413 trillion. This huge jump was due mainly to outgoing President Bush’s TARP legislation, and incoming President Obama’s stimulus legislation. Nonetheless, the president now claims that the deficit has been reduced by some $2.5 trillion which is clearly at odds with our average annual deficit of $1.475 trillion. Since assuming office four years ago, the president has added $5.9 trillion to the national debt. In order to achieve this dubious honor, we had to acquire an average annual deficit of $1.475 trillion. Yet the president made the following statement:

“Over the last few years both parties have worked together to reduce our deficits by more than $2.5 trillion,” he said Tuesday according to CNSNews. More lies.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Beachmastermax
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:35am
  Not to mention that the last two years of GWB’s administration, the congress was controlled by the Democrats. Look At GWB’s deficits prior to 2006?
  
  Reagan grew the economy by 5+%, so his deficits, even though they increased, I believe were smaller by percentage of GDP
  
  But and this is where I fault him, GWB’s major failure was his inability or refusal to use the bully pulpit to stop the insane Democrat community reinvestment act scam. He allowed Barney Frank and Chris Dodd to run this economy into a wall (with total GOP control).
  
  Report this comment
Chromo200
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:45am
The sad part is that the liberals/progressives in this country is that every one else has done it wrong and they will do a better job and not make the mistakes the others have done.

This country will not come to it’s senses until we have the long lines at the hospitals, supermarkets and employment lines like the old WPA days.

Republicans want to make a point they need to show on a regular basis the long bread lines of USSR. RNC needs to put up billboards, all over the country ..

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
wilbstal
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:40am
Greece should pass more gay rights and take all Guns from folks

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
RDavis49
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:39am
This SOCIALIST/COMMUNIST administration is going to send America hurrling right into the same fix as Greece. Socialism/Communism has never worked and it never will work as a governing body. Too many people on the take and too few to take it from…. exactly what the Obama administration is doing right now in America. You Obama suck-ups had better get your heads on straight and see this want to be dictator for what he really is….. When he no longer needs you as a “USEFUL IDIOT” you’ll be tossed right out with the rest of us. That’s how the Socialist/Communist leadership operates. Better wise up and wise up now….

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
wilbstal
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:38am
Greece is left Wing, hmmmm thats the problem no Conserve leadership

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
ScoobyCheese
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:21am
I guess they should have spent more on roads and bridges.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- katzkiner
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 4:48am
  Our debt to GDP is much worse than Greece, when we go we will go fast. Wish we had the 56,000 factories we lost since 2000 back.
  
  Report this comment

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.