德國財長稱退出歐元區對希臘更好
BERLIN — Despite bitter opposition in many quarters to the austerity-first policies Germany has imposed on Europe’s poorer nations, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government has hung on to its role as champion of integration on the Continent through deft use of diplomacy and the country’s economic clout.
柏林——儘管德國對歐洲較貧窮國家施加的緊縮優先政策在很多地方遭到了強烈反對，但憑藉嫺熟運用的外交手段和該國的經濟影響力，總理默克爾領導的政府一直扮演着歐洲大陸一體化的支持者角色。
But in negotiating a new deal this week to bail out Greece, Germany displayed what many Europeans saw as a harder, more selfish edge, demanding painful measures from Athens and resisting any firm commitment to granting Greece relief from its crippling debt. And that perception was fueled on Thursday when the German finance minister, Wolfgang Sch, suggested that Greece would get its best shot at a substantial cut in its debt only if it was willing to give up membership in the European common currency.
但在很多歐洲人看來，本週談判救助希臘的新協議的時候，德國的表現變得更加強硬、更加自私了；它要求雅典採取嚴苛的措施，而且在減免希臘沉重的債務方面，它反對提供任何堅定的承諾。而本週四，德國財政部長沃爾夫岡·朔伊布勒(Wolfgang Sch)的發言，進一步助長了這種看法，因爲他暗示，希臘獲得大幅債務減免的最佳途徑，可能就是放棄歐元區成員國資格。
Mr. Sch stressed that he was not pushing the Greeks to take any particular course and that in any case he was only talking about a temporary exit from the euro. But coming a day before German lawmakers are to give the go-ahead to negotiate the details of the bailout package for Athens, his remarks were evidence of a continuing deep ambivalence among conservatives in Germany about the costs of keeping Greece in the currency zone and a greater willingness to question whether the goal of “ever-closer union” in Europe should be reassessed.
朔伊布勒強調，他並沒有推動希臘採取任何特別的措施，而且無論如何，他說的也只是從歐元區暫時退出。但是，鑑於德國立法者第二天就要決定是否繼續協商雅典救助計劃細節，他的這番言論是一個證據，顯示了對於讓希臘留在歐元區的代價，德國保守派的心裏仍然非常矛盾，也顯示出他們越來越覺得，在歐洲“形成日益緊密的聯盟”這個目標也許該進行重新評估。
Many in Germany still support the idea that keeping Greece in the eurozone is important for the future of the European Union, and German lawmakers are expected to support the new bailout plan, agreed to by European leaders early Monday after a contentious weekend of negotiations, when it comes up for a vote in Berlin on Friday.
德國仍然有很多人認爲，希臘留在歐元區對於歐盟的未來很重要。經過上週末困難重重的談判，本週一早些時候，歐洲領導人同意了對希臘的救助計劃。德國立法者將於本週五在柏林表決，預計他們將對該計劃予以支持。
But Mr. Sch’s reminder that another option exists — the second time he had raised the idea this week — came at a time when close partners like France are expressing greater willingness to help Greece and some Germans are uneasy that their finance minister’s handling of the situation has hurt their reputation in Europe and around the world.
但就在法國等與德國合作緊密的國家都表示傾向於幫助希臘的時候，朔伊布勒提醒人們還存在另一個選項——本週他已經是第二次提出了這一點——令一些德國人感到不安，覺得財政部長的做法有損於德國在歐洲和世界上的聲望。
Critics of the German-led austerity policies have called for boycotts of German products and have suggested that Ms. Merkel and Mr. Sch had unjustifiably humiliated Greece and its prime minister, Alexis Tsipras. Italy’s prime minister, Matteo Renzi, said of the German stance over the weekend, “Enough is enough.”
一些人批評德國牽頭的緊縮政策，呼籲抵制德國產品，並說默克爾和朔伊布勒無故侮辱了希臘及其總理齊普拉斯。上週末，意大利總理馬泰奧·倫齊(Matteo Renzi)談到德國的立場時說，“真是夠了”。
Speaking in Berlin after meeting with members of the center-left Social Democratic Party, Jeroen Dijsselbloem of the Netherlands, who serves as the leader of the eurozone finance ministers, criticized Mr. Sch for raising the suggestion of a Greek exit. “If you reach an agreement after such long and hard talks, you have to stand behind it,” Mr. Dijsselbloem said. “And that goes for all sides.”
與中間偏左的社會民主黨成員會晤後，歐元集團(Eurogroup)主席、荷蘭人耶霍恩·戴塞爾布盧姆(Jeroen Dijsselbloem)在柏林發言，批評了朔伊布勒對希臘退出歐元區的建議。“如果你在這樣漫長而艱難的談判後達成了協議，你就要支持它，”戴塞爾布盧姆說。“各方都是這樣。”
But within Germany, there is still strong backing for being tough on Greece, or even seeing it leave the euro rather than undermine the common currency’s chances of thriving in the future. Mr. Sch made his remarks in a radio interview hours after the Greek Parliament voted reluctantly to approve the first set of austerity measures demanded by its European creditors in return for a chance to negotiate the new bailout package, its third in five years. And his remarks came as some Greek officials asserted that he has been in favor of Greece leaving the euro all along.
但是在德國國內，也有人強烈支持對希臘持強硬態度，甚至希望希臘離開歐元區，省得削弱歐元未來蓬勃發展的機會。朔伊布勒在媒體採訪中發表這番言論的數小時之前，希臘議會才勉強投通過了其歐洲債權人要求實施的第一批緊縮措施，以便獲得洽談新的救助計劃的機會，這將是五年來的第三次救助。而且朔伊布勒這番言論出現的同時，一些希臘官員也說他贊成希臘退出歐元區。
“It is beginning to look like a very dirty game that he is playing,” Johannes Kahrs, a Social Democratic lawmaker, said of Mr. Sch.
“看起來他是在玩一個非常骯髒的遊戲，”社會民主黨議員約翰內斯·卡爾斯(Johannes Kahrs)談到朔伊布勒時說。
Mr. Sch emphasized that no one was trying to dictate to Greece how it should proceed, but he made a case that forgiving a substantial amount of Greece’s public debt of more than 300 billion euros, or about $330 billion, is not compatible with membership in the eurozone.
朔伊布勒強調，沒有人試圖指示希臘應該如何行動，但他指出，要減免希臘逾3000億歐元公共債務，這麼龐大的金額，是不符合歐元區成員國資格的。
“We have not said that we will impose this, we can’t, we don’t want to, and no one has suggested it, but it would perhaps be the better way for Greece,” Mr. Sch said in the interview with Deutschlandfunk radio on Thursday when asked about allowing Greece to take a time out from the eurozone.
“我們沒有說會這樣實施，我們不能、不想、也沒有人建議這麼做，但是對希臘來說，這可能會是更好的出路，”本週四在德意志廣播電臺(Deutschlandfunk Radio)的採訪中，當被問及讓希臘暫時從歐元區離開時，朔伊布勒回答說。
He also questioned whether the package that Greece was seeking would be enough to bring the country’s financial situation back into a manageable position.
他還質疑，希臘是否正在尋求的救助計劃，是否足夠讓使該國的財政狀況回到可管控的程度。
“Nobody knows in the moment how it is supposed to happen without debt relief, but everyone knows that debt relief is not possible within the eurozone,” Mr. Sch said.
“目前沒有人知道，如果不減免債務，它如何做到那一點。但每個人都知道，在歐元區內不可能減免債務，”朔伊布勒說。
His position appeared to be based on European rules that are not interpreted as strictly by other nations, or by the International Monetary Fund, which called this week for deeper debt relief for Greece than Europe has so far been willing to consider. European rules for membership in the euro, such as those governing budget deficits, are routinely skirted or broken.
他的立場似乎是基於歐洲的一些規則得出的，但其他國家乃至國際貨幣基金組織（International Monetary Fund，簡稱IMF）對這些規則的解讀似乎都沒有德國那麼嚴格。IMF本週呼籲，在歐洲目前願意考慮的減債幅度的基礎上，爲希臘更深入地減免債務。歐洲針對歐元區成員資格的規則，例如約束預算赤字的規則，經常有國家不遵守，甚至公然違反。
Mr. Sch’s hard-line views on austerity and debt are not limited to him, or even to Germany. Much of Eastern Europe as well as a number of conservative northern countries share his view that Greece has been profligate and should be granted further aid only under the strictest conditions.
朔伊布勒對於緊縮和債務的強硬立場，不僅是他本人的態度，甚至不僅是德國的態度。許多東歐國家，以及一些保守的北歐國家，也贊同他的觀點，認爲希臘此前揮霍無度，只有施加最嚴格的條件才能提供進一步的救助。
But more than anyone, Mr. Sch has come to embody the consensus that has helped shape European economic policy for years: that the path to sustained economic recovery for financially troubled countries is to slash spending, raise taxes when necessary and win back the trust of bond markets and other investors by displaying commitment to fiscal prudence — even if that process imposes deep economic pain as it plays out. Supporters point to Ireland, Portugal and Spain as nations that have bounced back to varying degrees after austerity programs; critics point to Greece, which has remained economically troubled.
但是，朔伊布勒比任何人都更能代表一種共識。這個共識多年來一直幫助塑造着歐洲的經濟政策：財政陷入困境的國家要想實現可持續的經濟復甦，途徑是削減開支、必要時提高稅收，通過展示本國對審慎財政有多麼篤定，重新贏得債券市場和投資者的信任——即使這一過程中會在經濟領域帶來深深的苦痛。支持者指出，愛爾蘭、葡萄牙和西班牙在實施緊縮計劃後，都實現了不同程度的反彈。批評人士則以希臘作爲反例，指出該國仍然深陷經濟困境。
Germany’s finance minister since the Greek crisis first erupted in 2010, Mr. Sch is known as resilient and forceful, with a Germanic embrace of the rules and a Nietzschean attitude of “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” He has held offices in four German governments, from Helmut Kohl’s chief of staff, to Ms. Merkel’s interior and finance minister. Even an attempt on his life in 1990 that left him using a wheelchair kept him from the political stage for less than a year.
自希臘債務危機2010年爆發以來，朔伊布勒一直是德國財政部長。外界熟知他態度強硬，也能承受壓力，既有德意志式的尊重規則的風格，也有尼采式態度：“只要不能殺死我們，就會讓我們更強大”。他在四屆德國政府中擔任過職務，從赫爾穆特·科爾(Helmut Kohl)的幕僚長，到默克爾的內政部長和財政部長。1990年有人試圖刺殺他，不過未能得逞，但之後朔伊布勒需要借輪椅代步。遭遇襲擊後不到一年，他就又迴歸政壇。
Ms. Merkel has ruled out forgiving any of Greece’s debt but has left the door open to a new negotiation over extending the payment terms or reducing interest rates to help bring down Greece’s annual debt payments. But the I.M.F. and some other countries, including the United States, are pressing for Germany to lead Europe in doing more to help Greece.
默克爾排除了豁免希臘任何債務的可能性，但是願意開展新的談判，討論延長還款期限或降低利率，從而降低希臘每年的還款負擔。然而IMF，連同包括美國在內的其他一些國家都在施壓，要求德國引領歐洲，做出更大的努力去幫助希臘。
“I think the I.M.F. raising the debt sustainability issue as clearly as they did, the United States making clear that sustainability had to be dealt with, was a helpful contribution to the conversation because without dealing with some form of debt restructuring, this problem will just come right back,” a senior United States Treasury official said on Thursday, as Treasury Secretary Jack Lew traveled through Europe.
“我想，IMF明確地提出了債務可持續性的問題，而美國也闡明可持續性的問題必須要加以解決，這對整個對話是有益的貢獻。因爲如果不着手採取某種形式的債務重組，這個問題還會再出現，”美國財政部一名高級官員週四表示。目前，美國財政部長雅各布·盧(Jack Lew)正在歐洲穿梭訪問。
Still, some conservative German lawmakers have indicated ahead of Friday’s vote that they hold reservations about whether they believe Greece fully meets the conditions required to tap assistance from the European Union’s bailout fund, much less qualifies for debt relief.
不過，一些保守派德國議員在週五的表決前表示，他們對於希臘是否完全滿足得到歐盟救援資金的條件，仍然持保留態度，更遑論債務減免。
At a vote to extend the previous bailout package in February, a record number of dissenters from the chancellor’s conservative camp showed growing impatience with the anti-austerity government in Athens, with 29 voting against it. An additional 109 from the some 310 conservative lawmakers indicated they had reservations, although they went along with the vote.
今年2月在就上一宗救援計劃的延期進行表決時，德國總理所屬的保守派陣營中，持反對意見的議員人數超過了從前任何時間，他們對反對緊縮的希臘政府越來越缺乏耐心，有29人投了反對票。此外，在大約310名保守派議員中，還有另外109名錶示他們持保留意見，只是在表決時投了贊成票。
Mr. Sch signaled on Thursday that it might be difficult to reduce the burden of Greece’s debt payments sufficiently without some debt forgiveness — a step that he said could not be taken while Greece is a member of the common currency area.
朔伊布勒週四暗示，如果不做出一些債務減免，或許很難充分削減希臘的償債負擔。而他表示，只要希臘是單一貨幣聯盟的成員國，債務減免就無法實行。
“The more difficult question will be to reach sustainability of the debt, whether a package that is large enough can be agreed upon without any debt reduction,” Mr. Sch said. “Then we are back in the situation that debt reduction is not allowed in the eurozone.”
“較爲困難的問題在於達到債務的可持續性，各方能否在不減免債務的前提下，就金額足夠大的援助方案達成共識，”朔伊布勒說。“然後我們就又回到了歐元區內不允許減免債務的情況。”
Some analysts said the German finance minister’s discussion of a “temporary” exit from the eurozone for Greece was a veiled attempt to push it out of the 19-member currency union for good. Sony Kapoor, an analyst at Re-Define, a research organization, recalled Mr. Sch expressing similar thoughts back in 2012.
一些分析人士稱，德國財長談到讓希臘“暫時”退出歐元區，這是含蓄地想把希臘永遠地趕出19個成員國的貨幣聯盟。研究機構Re-Define的分析師索尼·卡普爾(Sony Kapoor)回憶道，朔伊布勒在2012年就曾表達過類似的想法。
“The idea behind couching it in temporary terms is to make it sound less onerous and a bit more compliant with the legal situation,” Mr. Kapoor said. “There is nothing as permanent as a temporary divorce.”
“以暫時的口吻表達這種設想，用意是讓它顯得沒那麼沉重，而且更符合法律狀況，”卡普爾說。“世間沒有比‘臨時離婚’更永恆的事情了。”
