Did Varoufakis wreck the Euro? | Conflict Zone

In the first edition of Conflict Zone, Tim Sebastian confronts Yanis Varoufakis about his controversial six months as Greek finance minister. Were his bailout negotiation tactics destructive? How much did he cost Greece?

[@hemiedwards217]

I've never seen such a hostile interview in all my days. Yanis did so well to respond with such composure and dignity. Well played.

[@MrCostiZz]

Varoufakis is a genuine "ancient Greek" type politician with ethos, pure intentions, clear target thinking, loving honor in the ancient Greek sense , and exceptional economist....The fact that he was outcast by the European political system is a sing of sickness in the system itself.

[@woodyguthrie6570]

Wow, nicely put!

[@T800System]

+Kostas Spiliotopoulos Beautifully said

[@JoelSRoberts]

+Kostas Spiliotopoulos I agree as well...

[@barrygrant27]

+Kostas Spiliotopoulos Yep, I'd vote for him.

[@MrCostiZz]

+barrygrant27 Me too !! Apparently though if you listen to the Greek media and politicians he is the ViLAIN . Something between Jack the Ripper and JOKER . Apparently the single politician i ever admired in my life ......Is outrageous not even worthy to talk with . We must be so stupid !!

[@richard0807]

Yanis Varoufakis should be leading the Greek revival. His rhetoric is hugely persuasive, particularly given that English is apparently his second language. Most native English speakers could not argue their case so convincingly as this admirable man. Bravo Yanis! A true statesman.

[@xxjones]

What a horrible interviewer. I am amazed how Varoufakis manages to respond so cool and intelligently and keep his calm and good humour.

[@rogersmithchiropractic7355]

Another pathetic attempt to discredit Varoufakis failed. Bravo Yianis!

[@Justiceforthemasses]

I applaud strong interviewers BUT those that do not allow a response but continually interrupt and do not allow us to hear answers do us a disservice - this is not a good interview

[@flamboyant91]

I'm not some kind of syriza fan or leftist, but why do you make an Interview in the first place, if the guest is not allowed to complete a sentence? This may be the worst Interview i've ever watched. Mr. Sebastian embodies everything what is wrong with todays european culture of debate.

[@AAWT]

+Flamboyant Totally agree. Someone should tell this moron the basics of journalism. Neither is it a journalists job to spout his opinion, nor is it the point of an interview to hear the opinions of the interviewer. If he wants to lecture us with his opinions, he should become a commentator and have others interview him.

[@noidlbk3254]

Terrible interviewer. He should get a job as a lawyer.

[@elisabeteabreu1378]

The interviewer keeps asking and repeating "everyone else said that..., you are the only one that think differently, why would you be the only person who is telling the truth?". And he repeats it again and again and doesn't let Yanis answer. Clearly the intention and final contribution of the interviewer is that many people will conclude: "Yes, why would he be the only person who is telling the truth?". So, this interview doesn't make sense. DW shouldn't have made Varoufakis - and the spectators - lose his/our precious time. This interviewer does not honour DW.

[@Nosiluminadimenso]

From the very introduction -- "He ended up being sidelined by his own government" -- through to the end, via not only constantly interrupting the answers to his own questions but also throwing in multiple bits of mere and alleged ear-saying, this ignorant, lazy, lowly and rude interviewer, who ignored that the Minister was not sidelined by his own government but rather the opposite -- the Minister resigned as he did not wish to cut his arm off as we all well know, as we also know the reasons for such -- should step aside. Professional journalism cannot afford this shame when there are millions of real journalists unemployed.

[@leonlim007]

Tim Sebastian is so unprofessional. He is trying to wrong-step Yanis, instead of accepting what he said as it is.

[@Lebelekani]

Is Tim picking a bone with Yanis? Tim sounds like a jilted lover, or disgruntled teenage boy. Bad bad interviewer, let the man speak Tim, please let him speak.

[@Ozricist]

Funny thing is, Varoufakis came across as a reasonable guy keeping his cool with an ideological bully - the opposite of what the the "interviewer" intended re the whole austerity thing.

[@rhodanate9642]

When the interviewer is scared to hear the interviewee answer.

[@CatherineAdractas]

Mr Sebastian ,are you going to allowed Yanis to respond to your questions ? Or you are paid by Brussels to intimidate him!

[@ladymmm100]

+Steven Goutzioulis (SGMATHS) STOP spamming, will you?!

[@ladymmm100]

Steven Goutzioulis Sure I don't. Do you like to read same phrase 23456789 times over and over again?

[@ladymmm100]

you right, my bad... after all you are selling spam by killos... repeating the same phrase countlessly... like a maniac over and over to the point of madness... just as grains of sand, impossible to count one by one... 23456789kg seems more accurate

[@AAWT]

+Catherine Adractas His interview with Naftali Bennett was even worse in all those aspects (constant interruption, biased questions, baseless accusations and propagandistic statements).

[@CatherineAdractas]

I remember that interview it was a real propaganda . check out his new manifesto. Sign up to join at www.diem25.org

[@ruthsharrock3573]

Tim Sebastian just embarrasses himself showing exactly who is pulling his strings! Did you go into journalism without any moral desire to present truthful reports hey Tim?, You are a joke of a journalist, you would be better named Pinocchio!!

[@NicholBrummer]

wow, a very tough interview. Since these questions are based on what many people believe, and what many EU politicians have been stating in the press, it was very important for him to be able to address these questions. And Varoufakis made superb use of this opportunity to answer them very calm, direct, and to the point.

[@MasterOfYoda]

11:11 "They had crises to do." Nice slip. It is vastly entertaining to watch how the interviewer goes out of his way to make Varoufakis sound more outrageous than usual and then hits a solid brick wall that you can't really do that.

[@SingaporeSkaterSam]

What is this - an even more shouty version of Hard Talk? Sorry Tim, whatever respect I once had for you as a journalist has just been thrown in the bin along with Greece's referendum result. And 25 minutes is too short to have a mature conversation about this, but I guess that was never your intention.

[@ghanabaamos]

Tim ask the questions but is not ready for the answers, very disgraceful. Tim interupting all the time, what a shame. Tim you are a disgrace to your profession.

[@rytiskurcinskas7179]

awful interview that man could ask questions but dint wait for answer to scream

[@alexgreader1235]

what is the point of asking if you don't hear the person

[@QuantumPeter]

16:50 He was talking economics in the Eurogroup (the meeting of finance ministers) and he was accused of it......HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA well done Europe

[@woodyguthrie6570]

lol

[@AcademieVocaleParis]

Varoufakis is great and sadly, he is interrupted by an interviewer who is trying to punch above his weight and who doesn't understand the subject.

[@orphicgall6592]

What a miserable attempt of a miserable show. Tim Sebastian should stick to tabloid journalism and stupid political rhetorics . He is no match to Varoufakis intelligence. Is like a university professor trying to answer - patiently -the questions of 7 years old kid, who got at the wrong door and ended up in his lecture class by mistake . If he's going to do a show on such a big subject as to who wreck the Euro, he should have prepared substantially more than just : " This paper said this, this paper said that." He is just firing his questions without really hearing the answers or having a conversation, which just shows that Tim was shitting his pants in this interview. I don't know why is Varoufakis's logic so difficult to follow for mainstream media. It's simple really. It is apolitical logic - which is what messes their mind , it seems.

[@SueJinKim]

Who is this awful interviewer? I don't usually comment on the videos I watch but this interview was AWFUL. Why invite someone on your program if you aren't going to let them talk? Just don't invite anyone and just talk to yourself. Don't call it an interview. Even 3rd graders know how to have a conversation that is respectful while also getting their points across. Don't invite anyone else on the show, change the name to Ego Zone, and stop wasting people's time..

[@goedelite]

Conflict Zone's interviewer begins by asking a prejudicial question, but not only prejudicial, one displaying profound ignorance. Such a beginning persuades me not to waste my time and to avoid Conflict Zone in the future.

[@edlop6954]

the interviewer has an agenda to forward. He is leading the answers where he wants them to go and if he does not like the answer he cuts Yanis off. Neo-Liberal agenda through and through. Yanis is a noble man with the Greek people's best interest at heart. EU is doomed. Neo-liberalism will fail.

[@MasterOfYoda]

4:28 - 6:42 is just pathetic. I never thought I would ever hear "You were doing well" about Greece. Who would believe that? Seriously.

[@johnspangenberg8879]

This interviewer is so well prepared, that he only seems to be interested in his questions. Where have I seen this before...

[@user-ff8ww8bq9q]

One of the worst interview styles I have ever seen, akin to the scum bag tabloid journalism we have come to expect...but then, it was via the UK after all. Varoufakis kept his cool & did not appear swayed by the continual mud slinging not backed up with credible sources by this somewhat hunched, beady eyed Tim character...bravo Varoufakis!

[@lilmisssunshineify]

as always, he's slaying the interview!

[@shockeroo]

Too much jumping around from the interviewer and trying to 'win' the argument by throwing multiple arguments/accusations at once - this muddled things. Aimlessly aggressive and argumentative instead of picking specific intelligent arguments and bringing light to pertinent areas of the conversation. Tim comes across more as a politician trying to win an argument than an interviewer trying to challenge and shine light.

[@peacef77]

Varoufakis you are the best!!!

[@4tfourtee204]

Terrible Terrible interview. Tim has now lost all credibility as an interviewer/journalist. Good to see that Varoufakis did not stoop down to Tim's level.

[@bydesign3169]

How can you have a discussion about a complicated economic situation when the interviewer wont let you speak for more than 3 sentences without interrupting.

[@jhassett2]

Even those of us who have had enough of Varoufakis must be disgusted with this interviewer. A completely stupid exchange about using the word "intend" instead of the word "will"....ignoring the IMF position...the flaws in the euro......Very poor job by Tim Sebastian but of course he works for the krauts now.

[@goedelite]

True that "Tim Sebastion confronts Yanis Varoufakis", but with what? With rudeness, interruptions, enforced discontinuities that prevent Mr. Varoufakis from answering Sebastion's questions. He presents the Financial Times judgment that Greece did "quite well" between 2010, when it accepted an additional loan from the ECB. But well at what? As Yaroufakis tried to answer: at imposing additional austerity on the Greek people, but not at coming closer to repaying the impossible debts of Greece. In fact, the ECB loan increased the debt burden of Greece making even more impossible the repayment. It is the recognition of this charade that Varoufakis tried to bring forward in Europe by resigning from the Syriza government in early 2015. A man in integrity, Varoufakis would not participate in a lie by subscribing to what his government, the Syriza Party, agreed. Tim Sebastion is not a truth seeker. He is a tool of the European neoliberal ruling class that has undermined democracy in Europe, the European people, and Europe's economy and peace.

[@reellezahl]

Here's an idea, Mr Sebastian, how about you kindly keep your blessed mouth closed and let the expert speak? If you want to just hear your own opinion, then interview yourself,-don't go inviting a Professor and ex-finance minister, beyond your calibre! Your mode of questioning exhibits unending degrees of hypocrisy and contradiction, as you never cease to simultaneously demand a question and then immediately try to shut down your interviewee. Criticism is fine, but you’re over the top here and really badgering here.

[@pauladams1814]

Yanis is brilliant wish more politicians were more like him and would have actually principles.

[@dimitrismpd]

5:15 ναι, hang on a second hahaha

[@aggourisdionisis7587]

Τim let Varoufakis to finish his sentence. In the name of Lord stop interruping all the time

[@sackfulofnews]

The previous Greek coalition government set a trap where SYRIZA jumped into with both feet. If they can be accused of anything, it would be their naivity. Here is the actual events of how I remember it, since I was living in Greece at the time. March 2014: The 5th review of the 2nd MoU (signed and sealed under English Law -unprecedented action) couldn't be closed by the coalition government at the time, though they agreed to pass it into Parliament. As a consequence, the summer of 2014 went barren of cash flow from the ECB. September comes with Presidential Parliament voting, and instead of putting forward a candidate that would have been voted in by all political parties, the previous Greek coalition government chose a stranger, hardly any political party knew of, with a result of null votes. Parliament was dissolved and elections announced. This is September 2014. In January 2015, a new government was elected (SYRIZA) with the 1st and 2nd MoU hanging over their heads and no cash flow from the ECB for 11 months. Wages still had to be paid; pensions still had to be paid. Energy still had to be flowing into the country, including paying for imports, etc. The new government finds itself at a dead end. The EU tells them it's "game over". You either take this 3rd bailout agreement we offer, or you leave the Eurozone. Greek PM turns to his people and asks them to choose: Accept the bailout agreement the EU is offering (which would last for 6 months) or allow me to go back and try to get a better deal. There was no question or choice that the people should vote to remain or leave the Eurozone. Those saying this are propogandists. The Greek poeple voted NO to the bailout agreement the EU was giving and gave their PM the power to go back and get a better deal. That is what he did. With the 3rd bailout agreement in hand (which included 1st and 2nd MoU obligations never carried through by previous governments) he dissolves Parliament and goes for fresh elections, asking his people if they accept SYRIZA to manage this 3rd MoU or if they want the previous coalition government to manage it. The poeple voted SYRIZA in power to manage the 3rd MoU, because previous governments never closed the 1st and 2nd MoUs.

[@hol08048275]

8:29 "The International Monetary Fund has agreed with me Tim." The tone of his voice. Mockery of the highest order. HAHAHAHAHA

[@manuelprescott4760]

What an open minded interview...only FOX news can match it! And I didnt know Tim sebastian was mentored by Bill O'reilly for special interruption methods!!! Its like we have to show u wrecked it and I just want you to say yes, then I will let you speak...If you say "no", I will ask you differently the same question to say yes this time!!!

[@MrMegasMitsos]

I havent seen a single positive comment for the "interviewer" , that means allot... That "interview" shows how Yianis was treated during the "negotiations"... EU is a nightmare and we have to wake up and free ourselves from this banksters tyrany...

[@klinischbrot]

I don't like this concept for a show. Having you talk to your !guest! with an almost interrogationtype of asking questions .. nagging interrupting - not digging deeper into any (brought up by you via interruption) topics. This is a waste of time for your guests.. "I have a great concept for a Interviewshow.. really eyeopening far out style of shallowness in favor of THIS opinion". Just my impression.. Those rhetorical-camps do a fine job these days. nice try though.

[@makaranddange6727]

Yanis Varoufakis did a great job of trying to put across his points and succeeded by proving that he is a man of integrity. Tim on the other hand kept on interrupting him and tried to corner him. Not letting Yanis complete. Why 'Tim' why is it because DW English is a German Channel. Tim please don't do that, I know you're capable of doing better.

[@billsmith135]

Not yet, the drachma will have more power in the future. England has the pound and we will have the drachma.

[@reyter01]

The fascist just won't shut up and let him talk!

[@ssebitaabawamala6861]

Can't you allow him to explain his position satisfactorily?

[@Chrissepisje]

Tim Sebastian comes off as a rude, silly and somewhat simple man who just seems to echo the daily paper and shows a complete inability to listen to any statement longer than 2 syllables. I really do hope never to see that oaf of an interviewer again, and I'd like to extend an apology to Varoufakis for having to suffer through this. Woeful, really.

[@mercuryman7]

What an incredible journalist, he can only read parts from his paper and bully the man he pretends to interview by cutting him off constantly. And on top of that he he tries to lecture a professor in economics in a field the journalist would be a bad student at best.

[@620jas]

shut up Tim, let him speak...

[@alterX2ego]

crappy tabloid title much?

[@georgiakouki109]

Please, put English subtitles to this video.

[@7livesgames]

+Georgia Kouki they have subtitles you need to swtich them on look for the icon at the bottom

[@meisam14]

I love the interviewer. He made it such an awesomely fun watch. 😂😂😂

[@kokomanation]

i don't know about the euro but he did reck greek economy twice

[@theunholysoul]

not just austerity failed, the euro also failed!

[@iknownothing0]

But Sebastian is expressing what the people that are ignorant think thats all he is exposing that

[@iknownothing0]

Poor mr Sebastian , common Yanis have a heart . This Mr Sebastian is the Hatzinicolaou of enikos in Greece Yanis i use to this shit .

[@jonahzhang5338]

Tim doesn't know a thing about finance, so he can only throw out malicious quotes to shield his ignorance. What a shame!

[@sainchawlonen]

Yanis should slap Tim upside his head!

[@marlo2734]

"all is fair in love and war" seems to be the norm. According to Scripture though, righteousness and justice are the pillars of Supreme Government. Blessed are the Peacemakers, blessed are the righteous.....way2go Yanis....the wheels will turn 4 Greece....just turn away from false and dead gods and slave masters unto the God of righteousness with fire in His eyes!

[@JapanAlex01]

LOL, this interviewer is so naive and unintelligent it's unbearable.

[@kazabubu10]

This journalist doesn 't really let one talk does he??....

[@callumbray5725]

despite the fact that I side with Yanis here (obviously without any true knowledge of the internal nature of the negotiations)I really enjoyed the interview. Yes he was abrasive, but a little conflict leads to better answers and more interesting conversation. He made Yanis defend himself, which he did sublimely.

[@bobzilla211]

what a contemptible suggestion

[@christinewillis3873]

Tim Sebastian was probably receiving sponsorship from EU to smear Varoufakis. I applaud Varoufakis for his respectful response to this idiot. Highlights which interviewers I WON'T be following.

[@tjkgfkkdfmkdck2438]

Tim Sebastian is the best interviewer ever! It is so much fun watching all those blithering ̶i̶̶d̶̶i̶̶o̶̶t̶̶s̶ politicians struggle to get to the point!

[@neobourgeoischristum5540]

Nah the Greeks are gaming the system. They had 400 years to learn this from the Turks

[@SexyGreek26]

Well done Tim!! Spot on - Varoufakis IS the reason as to why Greece's debt ballooned out from 120% of GDP to 180%!!!!

[@woodyguthrie6570]

that happened before syriza was elected.

[@woodyguthrie6570]

it was 175% of gdp back in 2013.

[@meisam14]

What? No. It's because the Troika refused to accept Yanis' Modest Proposal by which the debt to GDP ratio would have fallen dramatically, by allowing the debt to be rationally restructured aided with investment in growth and development of the social economy.

[@timetobeoutraged6155]

+GrK33 HHAHAHA, what an idiot you are, must be some Northern European who like all the rest in the Troika never got a proper education in math/science (or anything else useful really). Do you how to look up Debt/GDP stats even? Highly doubt it. Mismanaging your continent is going to get Marine Le Pen elected in France soon, if not the next election then the one following it and then the euro and Germany's trade surplus will go bang bang. I'm going to enjoy watching all that egg on your faces!

[@margaritadrosou6736]

+GrK33 hahaha strange sense of humor. Debt to GDP ratio was on more than 170% before Varoufakis or Syriza came to power. Only Troika can make this spectactular numbers come to life... Now with this "carefully" planned 3rd MoU the ratio will skyrocket to more than 200%

[@llsspp]

Fire this interviewer

[@nathanpayne5009]

Perseus.

[@petethedrummer]

What a terrible interviewer.

[@templodotempo]

hedious enterviewer

[@angelophilippopoulos9678]

They want the blood from the people.That will get their money!! It is personal!!

[@billguastalla1392]

Who is this interviewer and what is this platform? It's terrible. The camerawork is annoying and the tabloid-style quotes that appear in the middle of sentences half the time actively inhibits people from understanding what was even said. Why is the interviewer just trying to break him and not letting him speak? What are we meant to learn? Why would you just push the headlines of articles we already know about down his throat? How can you have more than one narrative if you do that? What is the function of a "conflict-zone" with one person being interviewed if the interviewer claims to be unbiased? How can that be possible?

[@GeorgeLiavas]

Did varoufakis wreck the euro??? ahahahaha what a stupid title!

[@92mumbojumbo]

25:55 get the hell out of here

[@matthewvicendese1896]

Terrible interview. He doesn't let Varoufakis finish at all ... and disregards anything he says. Embarrassing car crash .... and I'm only 9 min in

[@jacekczyzewski5215]

Tim, this is one of the worst interviews I have ever seen on youtube. You acted like a unexperienced junior apprantice journalist who´s preperation is based on what other people say in the mainstream media and you represented not yourself and the capacity of you intelect but people you were quoting from. You turned the interview into a goast debate. Completely unnecessery and stupid of you. You do not have to be mild as a journalist but you must be yourself and professional. Hwo cares what othe people said in past - if they said it at all when they are not sitting in front of you. What ist the sense of the interview then?

[@hel1nas]

yellow journalism at best..

[@nufsiltube]

This is almost a monolog! Very bad interview!!

[@malloonkai]

English commentators and interviewers - they think they are so clever with their nicely set traps for the interviewee. Pathetic stuff..