Finance Minister
The Two Faces of the Euro: Jacques Delors and Wolfgang Schäuble – Project Syndicate Long Read
, 03/02/2024
Of all European politicians who never led their countries, Jacques Delors and Wolfgang Schäuble had the greatest impact on Europe. Between them, the two men, who passed away within a day of each other in December, shaped today’s European Union, warts and all. ATHENS – Of all European politicians who never led their countries, Jacques Delors and Wolfgang […]
Euroleaks: Why release? And why now?
, 16/02/2020
During 2015’s first half, as Greece’s finance minister, I participated in thirteen crucial Eurogroup meetings – before the SYRIZA government (disrespecting the referendum result of 5th July) capitulated. The result of that capitulation was my immediate resignation and a permanent austerity program (until… 2060). From the beginning, the first Eurogroup, it was clear that the […]
Behind the closed doors of negotiations with the EU? – The Guardian podcast, November 2018
, 10/11/2018
As the Brexit negotiations near crunch point, Theresa May is still battling to keep her party on side as she edges closer to a deal with Brussels. But is it possible to take on the EU in negotiations and win? One man who staked his political career on trying just that was the former Greek finance minister Yanis […]
An anniversary to savour: the three days that shook Europe – 3rd to 6th July 2015 (Extracts from my ADULTS IN THE ROOM)
, 05/07/2018
Three years ago, today, the people of Greece staged a rebellion against their debt bondage. Though this rebellion was overthrown from within almost immediately, it remains a remarkable testimony to the power of a people to say No to the oligarchy, to wrestle control of the narrative of their circumstances from the inanely authoritarian elites, […]
Hans Werner Sinn: Varoufakis acted very prudently and wisely to defend Greek interests
, 22/03/2018
Perhaps the best known and respected conservative German economist, Hans-Werner Sinn (Munich University and for many years Chair of Ifo Institute), had this to say in reaction to the claims of various troika officials that I cost Greece billions of euros: “Yanis Varoufakis has acted very prudently and wisely to defend Greek interests… Arguing, […]
“Greece was strangled by the creditors in 2015. We stand with Yanis Varoufakis and with the truth.” Professors Jeff Sachs (Columbia) and James K. Galbraith (Texas)
, 18/03/2018
Thomas Wieser’s claim that Yanis Varoufakis and the Greek government of 2015 cost their economy 200 billion euros is ludicrous. As Wieser knows – because he was one of the architects of the policy – the Greek economy in 2015 was strangled by its creditors. The creditors inflicted severe damage from the first day: by […]
“La crisis se está haciendo más profunda, más tóxica, más permanente” (“The crisis is getting deeper, more toxic, more permanent”) – El Diario interview, 13/1/2018 (including the original English text of the interview)
, 15/01/2018
“Europa es exactamente lo opuesto a democracia”, asegura el ex ministro griego de Finanzas y cofundador de DIEM25, que ajusta cuentas con los protagonistas de la crisis del euro en “Comportarse como adultos“ “El Gobierno español actuó firmemente en Bruselas contra los intereses de la inmensa mayoría de los españoles” “El bitcoin es una espléndida burbuja […]
Η Βρετανία πρέπει να μάθει το μάθημά της από την Ελλάδα, και να έχει Plan Β όπως ο Βαρουφάκης – Wolfgang Munchau στους Financial Times της 25ης Ιουνίου 2017
, 28/06/2017
Γιατί οι Βρετανοί θα έπρεπε να συμβουλευτούν τον πρώην Υπουργό Οικονομικών της Ελλάδας, για να χαράξουν στρατηγική στο παζάρι με την ΕΕ. Η ανάγκη για Plan B του Γιάνη Βαρουφάκη. Γράφει ο Βόλφγκανγκ Μουνχάου. του Wolfgang Münchau [Το άρθρο βρίσκεται εδώ και μεταφράστηκε/δημοσιεύτηκε από το EURO2day] Οι ηγέτες που καλούνται να προσδιορίσουν τη στρατηγική των διαπραγματεύσεων […]
Martin Wolf, in The Financial Times, on ‘Adults in the Room’: “A tragedy because Varoufakis was – and is – right. The bulk of Greek debt should indeed be cancelled outright.”
, 24/06/2017
This is a superbly written account of the struggle to alleviate the austerity imposed upon the Greek people by the eurozone. Greece, argues Varoufakis, has been put in a debtors’ prison and robbed of autonomy and dignity for the indefinite future. Critics would argue that he failed as finance minister in 2015 because he was […]
ADULTS IN THE ROOM
, 30/05/2017
What happens when you take on the establishment? In this blistering, personal account, Yanis Varoufakis blows the lid on Europe’s hidden agenda and exposes what actually goes on in its corridors of power. ‘One of the greatest political memoirs of all time’ (Guardian) The Sunday Times Number 1 Bestseller Varoufakis sparked one of the most […]
Daily Telegraph’s serialisation of Adults in the Room
, 29/04/2017
Prior to the publication of my ADULTS IN THE ROOM, the Daily Telegraph serialised ten of the events the book turns on: A strange visit by Merkel’s go-between The blocked Chinese deal The key Berlin meeting Osborne meeting Tapped phone calls Coup d’état: How the government overthrew the… voters Dressing with dash: The story of that leather jacket The […]
Europe’s Illiberal Establishment – Project Syndicate op-ed
, 03/04/2017
ATHENS – On March 25, Europe’s leaders convened in the birthplace of the “European project” to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. But what exactly was there to celebrate? Were they reveling in Europe’s disintegration, which they now call “multi-speed” or “variable geometry” Europe? Or were they there to applaud their business-as-usual […]
Varoufakis and De Masi Press Conference at European Parliament – Wednesday 8th March 10.00
, 06/03/2017
Varoufakis and De Masi demand publication of ECB legal opinion for the closure of Greece’s banks Greece’s former finance minister, with German MEP, to hold press conference Wednesday, March 8, to announce filing a vital Freedom of Information request to the ECB. (Click Brussels Press Conference DiEM25 Press Release for pdf version) WHEN: Wednesday, March […]
Mr Draghi, what are you afraid of? Release #TheGreekFiles!
, 19/02/2017
Join the campaign to demand that the ECB publish the legal opinion it commissioned on whether its closure of Greece’s banks in 2015 was… legal. CLICK HERE!
Lunch with The Globe and Mail, in discussion with Eric Reguly
, 22/01/2017
by Eric Reguly for The Globe and Mail Having lost the old fight over Greece’s financial future, Mr. Varoufakis is focused on a different cause: preserving the European Union Click here for The Globe and Mail site and here for a pdf of the article. Alternatively…
The Greek Plan for Growth & Recovery: Two documents the Ministry of Finance tabled in May and June 2015
, 20/08/2015
Now that Greece’s Third Memorandum of Understanding has passed (see here for my annotated version), after the SYRIZA government surrendered on 12th July 2015, it is perhaps of interest to compare the ‘Reform Agenda’ in that agreement with the agenda the Ministry of Finance had presented to the institutions on two occasions, in May and June […]
My question to Christine Lagarde, Eurogroup 25th June 2015 – as narrated by Landon Thomas in the NYT
, 17/08/2015
During the 25th June 2015 Eurogroup, the institutions presented me, in the form of an effective utlimatum, with a comprehensive staff level agreement and funding plan (which I considered financially non-viable). It was the deal that Prime Minister Tsipras decided, on the following day, to put to the Greek people in the form of the now […]
Something is rotten in the eurozone kingdom – my op-ed in the Financial Times
, 01/08/2015
Plan would have eased Greece’s chronic liquidity shortage, writes Yanis Varoufakis in the Financial Times. A paradox lurks in the foundations of the eurozone. Governments in the monetary union lack a central bank that has their back, while the central bank lacks a government to support it.
The Defeat of Europe – my piece in Le Monde Diplomatique
, 30/07/2015
Click on the image above for the LMD site. Or…
Why I voted NO (translated by ThePressProject International)
, 21/07/2015
Why I voted NO In an article which was published on Saturday in EfSyn, the former Finance Minister, Y.Varoufakis attempts to explain the reasons why he voted ΄no΄ to the “prior actions” deal that the government brought to the parliament.
On the Euro-Summit ‘Agreement’ with Greece, my resignation and what it all means for Greece and Europe – in conversation with Phillip Adams
, 14/07/2015
Late Night Live, ABC Radio National, 13th July 2015
Minister No More!
, 06/07/2015
The referendum of 5th July will stay in history as a unique moment when a small European nation rose up against debt-bondage.