...and who was it who made Cyprus take a 50% cut on it's Greek bond holdings...the Good ole EU

There has been lots of brainwashing going on in the media, all from the well funded Brussels propoganda office. They want the public to think the losers are the Russian mafia. Not true

Came across this gem from an old book of quotations, I was reading last night...

"Realizing that they will never be a World power, the Cypriots have decided to settle for being a World nuisance."

George Mikes, writer.

Some things never change.

Don't know how true it is, but I read a couple of articles claiming the Ruskies had been tipped off and got some serious wads of cash out of Cyprus before the axe came down.

To the poster who thinks the Cyprus situation will not happen in Spain. De Guindos has said that all deposits UNDER 100,000 will be safeguarded. I have said this before. He did not mention deposits OVER 100,000. What does that tell you? You say Cyprus is badly run by incompetent politicians and incapable of looking after its own citizens. For the minute I thought you were talking about the Spanish government.

I know someone (not russian) who had a little money in Cyprus, saw this coming months ago, and moved it to the UK. I don't think it was a big surprise for many.

Well exactly - I'm just surprised that so many still got caught out.

And this is precisely the reason why the Spanish government probably won't bother with such a measure (although I wouldn't bet the house on it!). Anyone with half a brain cell will make sure they don't keep more than 100k at any one time in a bank account - and if they do after all this they really won't deserve any sympathy. It really won't be much of a money earner at all for the government.
On the other hand the Spanish government can rake in the stamp duty or vat or cgt or even tax on foreign earnings, and no-one seems much bothered about this! Wake up folks - it's all money that the governments (in all countries) is taking away from you. One in every five pounds you spend on a meal out is going directly to the government, and that's as true in the UK as in Spain ~(well if we're quibbling vat is 20% in the UK, 21% in Spain)

The next week or two could prove interesting as we find out just how much is continuing to flow out of Spanish bank accounts or if the flow has now turned into a tidal wave.

"It could happen in Spain too".

I wouldn't entirely discount it just yet.

Could this be the same Mr Luis de Guindos that is to ask Brussels to ease the 2013 deficit target for Spain from the original 4.5% to a hopefully easier-to-achieve 6%? The man is desperate to get some money from somewhere! Even Montoro has been telling porkies, he had used ‘incorrect‘ accounting practices to try to present Spain’s 2012 deficit figure as being less than it really was. The billions that the Spanish themselves have already moved out of Spain in capital flight might just be a clue as to how they feel about it.
http://economia.elpais.com/economia/...42_703769.html

....and anyone with half a brain cell will be aware that is a load of cobblers.

How many restaurants do you imagine put all their sales through the books, especially in Spain ?

You live in a dream world Stevie.

Have it your way ("hoist by your own petard") - if the meals are served up on the black in Spain, then less of your money is taken by the government in Spain than in the UK. Only goes to prove my point - people are having their money seized all the time and they don't realise it.

The point is that's one of the reasons Spain is in such deep sh!t.