FYI.
‘We are going to destroy the Greek oligarchy system’ said Varoufakis. (Image credit: channel4.com)
– European Banksters are afraid of Yanis Varoufakis (The Real Agenda, July 6, 2015):
The former Greek Finance Minister resigned because the Troika is not confortable with him in the room.
The Greek Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis, announced Monday his resignation because he believes that this can help the government to reach an agreement with the European institutions, hours after the victory of the ‘no’ in the referendum.
Varoufakis, who said he would resign if the YES won on Sunday’s referendum met on several occasions with Greek creditors as he represented the toughest wing of his government. He even accused the Troika of using “terrorism” against the Greek people.
In its statement, entitled I’m not minister!, Varoufakis argues that the referendum “will remain a unique moment in which a small European nation rose against debt bondage”.
“Like all struggles for democratic rights, this historic refusal of the ultimatum made on June 25 by the Eurogroup comes with strong associated costs,” he says.
“It is therefore essential that the capital given our government by the splendid ‘NO’ victory be invested immediately in a ‘YES’ to an appropriate resolution, an agreement providing for the restructuring of debt, less austerity redistribution in favor of the needy and real reforms,” he wrote.
Varoufakis has also revealed that after the announcement of the results of the inquiry he was told that there was “a certain preference from some members of the Eurogroup and other ‘partners’ for him to be ‘absent’ during their meetings.
“That is an idea that the prime minister could be considering potentially helpful in reaching an agreement. For that reason I leave today the Ministry of Finance,” he explained.
Greece Regroups for Future Negotiations
The result of the referendum held on Sunday in Greece not only opens a new, and uncertain, chapter in relations with partners and with Europe, it has also precipitated a flurry of political developments within the country.
Following the resignation last night of Conservative leader Andonis Samaras came the controversial resignation of Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis. His departure might have been a direct request from Greek leader, Alexi Tsipras, who allegedly accepted a request by Troika members to leave Varoufakis out of any future negotiation.
Varoufakis spared no words in his announcement, in which he spoke directly to the members of the Troika, saying that “I take your hate with pride.”
Greek media have reported that Varoufakis replacement could be Efklidis Tsakalotos, another renowned economist who since April became the Greek chief negotiator, replacing Varoufakis himself. Another name that sounded as a possible substitute was current Economy Minister Giorgos Stathakis.
Tsakalotos has an advantage over Varoufakis, his a much softer guy; a “gentleman”, people say, which is a positive point along with his willingness to dialogue, but all sources agree that ideologically, he is more radical than Varoufakis, and, unlike the outgoing Finance Minister, he is an original member of Syriza.
The resignation of Varoufakis has managed to overshadow events of major importance, much more important for the immediate future of the country than his exit from the government.
Following the appeal of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras for national unity in his brief speech after the referendum, the Greek Government has moved to incorporate, one way or another, the support of opposition parties.
On Monday, Tsipras met in Athens with several political leaders, an institutional mechanism which is convened only in cases of crisis, and at the request of the President.
The meeting was attended by an interim leader of the conservative New Democracy and the leaders of the liberal To Potami, the socialist PASOK and the communist KKE. The meeting was also attended by Panos Kamenos, leader of Independent Greeks and the prime minister as a representative of Syriza.