"Greeks Apologise with Huge Horse"

What with all the worry and trouble that Greece's mismanagement of its own economy is causing the rest of Europe and the world as it bravely pioneers the path down which the United States is also descending, it's a real comfort to hear that the Greeks have apologized to the European Union:

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/international/greeks-apologise-with-huge-horse-2012051527146

I have no idea at all what this is supposed to depict, nor how on earth it could possibly be connected with a large, mobile statue of a horse:

Can anybody help me out on it?

I'm also told, by the way, that there's a joke going the rounds in Germany:

"A Portuguese, an Italian, and a Greek walk into a bar.  The German pays."

I don't get it.

But, when the United States gets into a Greece-like state, I'm sure the Germans will be there, willing, able, and happy to pay our debts for us.