"The only thing the Greek bailout program says about growth is that the Greek authorities are committed to drawing up a plan for growth in July 2016. This plan cannot work, according to German minister Wolfgang Schaeuble". He does not send the former Greek finance minister to say, Yanis Varoufakis, guest at the Ambrosetti Forum and called to speak on the future of Europe in the panel entitled "Old and new conflicts and challenges in the European Union".
“My personal tragedy – Varoufakis explained to the audience of politicians and businessmen where Tsipras also made his debut last year – is that I don't agree with any of the political programs I have in front of me. Tsipras was blackmailed in July into taking on a project that everyone knew couldn't work. It was a defeat for Greece and for Europe: Alexis is a friend, it hurts me to see him like this, he found himself trampled by elephants who were fighting. Like him the Greek people, who in my opinion the vast majority want to stay in Europe but who are now faced with bailout programs destined to fail".
In short, no growth until 2016, and not even the possibility of presenting the famous alternative plan to the troika or the Eurogroup: “We were prevented, our plan was valid but the feeling was that the European institutions did not want to be overridden in any case . The answer therefore cannot be found in the minutes but in the existential crisis of Europe”, accused the former Greek minister.
The Varoufakis plan is known history: credit default swaps instead of the classic haircut, primary surplus of 2% and bad bank. "Our public debt is unsustainable and this situation forces us to set unsustainable primary surpluses", continued Varoufakis, who remains convinced that "the great majority of the Greek people want to stay in the Eurozone, but not under these conditions. Confidence in the eurozone can only return if we change the governance of the monetary union: our money must be managed more democratically”.
The Greek economist also intervened on the hot topic immigration theme, stating that Europe is once again "lacking credibility, soul and that it is failing to deal with the emergency". His words were also echoed by those of the former Italian prime minister Mario Monti, who already last year, against the odds, had declared himself in harmony with Tsipras: "There is the risk that Italy will suffer a sort of ethical downgrade and will be seen by the countries of Northern Europe only as a sort barrier to absorb the impact of the barbarian invasions from Africa”.
“I have an extreme concern – said Monti – that the Northern Europe may consider the countries of the South as unrecoverable“. But then the warning, making a parallel with the recent Greek experience: "We Italians must be careful when we fall in love with extreme positions in Greece, which they themselves have abandoned, or we think we are making a clean sweep of Europe". In response to the words of the former Greek finance minister, Varoufakis, Monti commented: “I am consoled by the fact that the Greek people retain an attachment to the euro, a sign of understanding where they would have ended up without it. I don't know if the reform agenda is sustainable or not, but it is there. And the government will work on that."
Waiting to know what the new government will be, Varoufakis commented as follows Greek elections scheduled for 20 September, which will see former adventure partner Alexis Tsipras and what remains of Syriza seek reconfirmation after a troubled summer, marked first by a triumphal referendum and then by the premier's resignation: "Tsipras will win", argues Varoufakis who, however, despite the hand extended to Cernobbio, he had already declared that he did not support his re-nomination due to the political differences that had emerged in recent months.
