On Greece, Syriza, Podemos and the Democracy in Europe Movement

Written on February 2nd, 2016 in politics Comments Off

Translation in spanish, and in persian (Farsi) language – Published on ZNet, interview with Yanis Varoufakis (first on his blog), Jan 31, 2016.

Why did you resign the very next day after the ‘no’ victory in the Greek referendum?

  • Because the Prime Minister told me, on the night of that magnificent result, that it was time to surrender to the troika. Not what I had entered politics for and certainly not what the mandate that the 62% NO vote we had just received stipulated.  

Did the European leaders press Tsipras to get rid from you? Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the president of the Eurogroup of finances ministers, has admitted that he did so…

  • They knew that I would never sign up to a new non-viable, toxic loan agreement. That was clear from the beginning. I was elected to negotiate a viable agreement. And since it is the finance minister who signs these agreements on behalf of the state, it was essential to the troika that I should be removed.

Why do you think you are so uncomfortable (and considered even dangerous) for the EU leaders?

  • Because I was an obstacle to the maintenance of their permanent denial regarding their failed fiscal reform programs.

What has been your major mistake during the time you were Greece Finance Minister?

  • To believe that the troika would honour the spirit and the letter of the 20th February Eurogroup agreement. It was on the basis of that false belief that I signed, a few days later, the application for an extension to the previous loan agreement.

Some people blame you for the painful turn of the Greek situation during the first Syriza Government. Are you guilty?

  • If there was a painful turn due to our policies, I would of course be responsible (as the finance minister in charge). However, even Eurostat confirms that, during my 5 months in office, real national income in fact rose. The damage came right at the end of my ministry. And it did not come from some policy that I implemented. It came because the troika ruthlessly closed down Greece’s banks in order to force upon the Prime Minister further reductions in pensions, greater taxes for consumers and companies etc. And afterwards they blamed the damage they caused on… me. (Typical of bullies who blame the victim for her/his victimization.)

What was the most disappointed/surprising/unbelieving thing that you learned about politics while you were minister? … //

… On the 9th of February you will found in Germany a new pan European movement that will fight for a democratic and transparent UE. Isn’t right now the UE democratic and transparent? Could you please give some examples of malfunctioning of the UE you personally experience?

  • Are the examples already mentioned not enough? I think they are! Is it not evident to anyone that crushing Greece’s democracy to prevent Podemos from doing well in the Spanish elections not a sign that democracy in Europe has died some time ago? Is any European democrat happy with the situation in which all important decisions are taken in complete darkness and secrecy? DiEM (our Democracy in Europe Movement) will offer all European democrats who feel enraged by these practices a platform to organise for the reclamation of European democracy.

What will your new movement propose to solve those problems?

  • The whole point about DiEM, our movement, is to create a powerful force across Europe that makes it possible to imagine the democratisation of the EU. How we will achieve this will be the topic of conversation in Berlin. But for this, you need to wait until the 9th of February and the publication of our Manifesto a few days earlier.

(full text).

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Should Switzerland pay every citizen – including those who don’t work? on Yahoo News, by Story Hinckley, Jan 31, 2016;

Can things be good for everyone in a capitalist society? on The Buffalo News, Jan 31, 2016;

Attacks on US Public Workers and Unions Intensify, on ZNet (first on teleSUR English), by Jack Rasmus, Jan 31, 2016;

CANADA, Québec: Un médecin de Lévis propose un plan d’attaque contre la pauvreté, dans Le Peuple Lévis, par Jennifer Dubé, le 30 janv 2016;

on KASHMIR and IDPs, by K.N. Pandita (Kashinath Pandit):
Face to face with Frankenstein, Jan 30, 2016;
Rhetoric of return and rehab of Kashmir IDPs, Jan 28, 2016;

L’arnaque de l’impôt sur le revenu – Etienne Chouard, 6.50 min, mise en ligne par Demo B, le 6 janv 2016;

La Dette non censuré – Etienne Chouard, 67.09 min, mise en ligne par Raoul Duke, le 6 oct 2014 … docu sur la création de la dette en France …;

World Banker makes stunning confession, 19.00 min, uploaded by Premier Legend, 31 May 2011 … James D. Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank from 1995 to 2005;

… et encore ceci:

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