Christine Lagarde has been the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) since January 5, 2011 after her predecessor, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was accused of rape. Lagarde, it seems, may be as loose with her words as Strauss-Kahn was with his relationships. After the rumors that Greece would be leaving the Euro zoneon June 18, Lagarde said she had more sympathy for the victims of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa than the Greeks who have been hit by the economic crisis.
“As far as Athens is concerned, I also think about all those people who are trying to escape tax all the time. All these people in Greece who are trying to escape tax.”
Ms Lagarde went on to say: ‘I think they should also help themselves collectively… By all paying their tax.’
Lagarde was instantly criticized for her “humiliation” of the Greek people. Evangelos Venizelos, the Greek socialist leader, stated that no one, including Lagarde, had the right to humiliate an insult the Greek people. That was when the word spread that Lagarde herself does not pay taxes on her almost $500,000 yearly salary.
Continue reading: http://www.examiner.com/article/head-of-imf-criticizes-greeks-over-taxes-but-pays-no-taxes-on-500-000-salary
