EU referendum five years on: Yanis Varoufakis reflects on Europe after Brexit

Yanis Varoufakis speaks to the New Statesman's George Eaton. The former Greek Finance Minister reflects on five years since the EU referendum, Scottish independence, a UK progressive alliance, and whether the EU can stay relevant post Brexit.
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Follow George Eaton is on twitter @georgeeaton and Yanis Varoufakis @yanisvaroufakis

[@davidcoleman757]

Yanis is always worth listening to. I find myself, again, in broad agreement with his assessment of the current state of Europe.

[@richardbetts]

Best explanation of the political play in EU, thanks Yanis

[@jackdeegan3617]

He doesn't talk about how Greece lied through their teeth so that they could get rid of their own currency and get the euro.

[@BlissLovePeace]

He single handedly cost the Greek tax payer another 5 billion ... easily ... he's a complete failure

[@countmorbid3187]

The Greece economy was a complete joke. They desperately wanted to join to profit of the "net contributors" ... like the UK. The euro is not that ideal for struggling economies like Greece ... but saying the euro was a bad thing is utter nonsense ... Economies benefited greatly from it. And though countries could not improve their competitiveness by inflating their currency. But countries have a natural way of dealing with problems .. look at the prices of food in the south vs the north. So daily costs of living, like food and rent, are way lower and compensating the the struggling economy. It's a self leveling system.

[@etinarcadiaego7]

He has talked about it countless times. He also has stated that it was a mistake getting into Euro

[@mrmrmrcaf7801]

I closed this clip when he said "EU Elites look at Brexit as a major defeat" LOL...I should have closed this when he said "dramatic consequences for Europe" FWI. 1. In Europe no one cares about Brexit and UK anymore 2. In Europe Brexit has been a benefit and many countries have something to gain , just few examples: tens of thousands of companies from UK have set up EU headquarters in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, etc. Future big investments from companies from North America and Asia will skip the UK which has a closed market now and go for EU , cheap workforce from Eastern EU will no longot go to UK and stay in EU and help build European business ,should I go on? 3. European elites see Brexit as a success and has closed any dream of any country wanting to leaving the EU 4. The whole world now sees that leaving the EU is like suicide...as if you were sanctioning yourself. 5. The millions of immigrants entering England are not workers like the ones from Eastern Europe, they do not go to England to work in a field and pay taxes,EU will just let them go to UK

[@psid9907]

Agree of disagree with Yanis's views (I do agree), his analysis is a 35min long spitting of straight truth

[@treintaydiez]

What a brilliant anaylisis

[@bobjohnbowles]

Knowledgeable, incisive, thought provoking.

[@isobelmatheson8036]

The previous Spanish PM, Rajoy, said he'd block Scottish membership of the EU. The current PM, Sanchez, has made it clear they would support Scotland whatever decision it makes about independence.

Source?

[@isobelmatheson8036]

@ it's available from a search engine near you.

@@isobelmatheson8036 if i ask is because I just couldn't find it

[@katarishigusimokirochepona6611]

@@isobelmatheson8036 lol search engine near you :)

[@howardpierce8460]

ParcelOf Rogue, before you blurt your gob off untruths get it right do your research www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56840781

[@edharris2395]

I do respect this guy ... tells it as it is without the rhetoric and feel bad for what he and his country went through

[@nhajas1]

great interview :)

[@elvis2495]

Fantastic analysis, yet again fromYanis Varoufakis. Thank you

[@terryquinn2119]

TRUE HONEST MAN

[@ashg3250]

Thanks

[@ianstevenson6705]

By 2019 it was obvious that most of the promises of leave were not going to materialise. Polls were showing a small majority for remain. Ignoring that, to me, is ignoring democracy

[@danieljones4980]

Correction: Ignoring a poll is not ignoring democracy. Ignoring a referendum is.

[@edwardlee4520]

And today 70% say leaving was the right thing to do. Shall we not ignore that?

[@BlissLovePeace]

ah ... so YV acknowledges that if the UK would have adopted the EURO the pain of leaving the EU would have been economically utterly unbearable and catastrophic. But he had no problem attempting that for Greece. Suuuuuuure .... makes perfect sense ....

[@judithhume9047]

What a brilliant interview....I learned so much....don't agree with him on everything...but very very impressive. Thank you.

[@johntheaccountant5594]

Is this very old because it talks about Italian Salveni and I thought Mario Draghi was the prime minister of Italy?

[@markmccormack1796]

The UK has gone hard nationalist right since Thatcher. The EU was not sad to see the UK go; secretly hoping they would leave.

[@TonThonFraisdEau]

Good point of European fiscally. But the resistance is politic, it would be federalism ....

[@chuanet77]

My utmost respect to Mr Varoufakis but my complete disagreement to most of what he says on this interview. It seems his personal experience blinds him when it comes to identifying the causes of brexit...so brexit roots are a series of mistakes from continental europe?? The german recipe for 2008 crisis caused Brexit? He points out the mistakes remain campaign and next he forgets accidentally the tons of lies leave campaign poured...come on, you are smarter than that Yanis. Not everything happening in this world is Germany's fault, isn't it?

[@cyberslim7955]

21:00 Devolution was a joke! Why does England has no parliament?

[@Robbiewa-bg4lu]

Politically I am to the right but Yanis Varoufakis is someone I would like to meet and talk to over a coffee or tea.

[@Nick-kb6jd]

Yanis’ prediction of the Tory party not fragmenting is looking very shaken at this stage.

[@marionreynolds7080]

Well, despite the fact that George Eaton broke every aspect of journalistic integrity in his recent treatment of the late Roger Scruton he, at least, managed to draw out Yanis on the multilayered subject of Brexit. Yanis’ deep knowledge of the EU was a frank and consistent summary here of all I’ve come to expect from him. He always manages to present a narrative of the EU which could be capable of reform. As an old Labour pensioner I’ve always clung to Schumacher’s very pragmatic notion of ‘small is beautiful’ and, with this in mind, I actually voted for Scottish independence in 2014. At that time I was not aware of Scotland’s attachment to the EU. As a lifelong supporter of Tony Benn’s rigorous democratic antipathy to the organisation I wouldn’t have done so.

[@Jimboken1]

Yes. Thanks for reminding us how seemingly reasonable people can be truly vile. Of course being “seemingly reasonable” was how he could trick Roger Scruton in the first place. I like Yanis Varoufakis but not because I agree with him. George is unlikely to trick Yanis though, is he? Yanis is of the Left but thankfully, unlike George, not politically correct.

[@surfcitiz]

Quite impressive knowledge of all the nuances of modern European politics.

[@kieransavage3835]

A crime against logic.....Love the description.....Kieran

[@Robbiewa-bg4lu]

I am politically to the right and a Brexit voter and supporter and I have respect for Yanis Varoufakis

[@cyberslim7955]

23:20 Talk to Mark Blyth, he explains, how an independent Scotland can create it's own currency, peg it to the Euro and sell bonds into Europe. Will be snapped up in no time!

[@SlimTortoise]

Not 3 million EU citizens now it known to be 6 Million, People vote with thier feet!

[@SlimTortoise]

​@Pawwel Mussial Probally, But they may be wasting thier time as these things have time limits and depend on other factors too. Take the position I am in ,I am from the UK I but live in France, I can live outside France for 5 years (as I have lived here for 10 years plus) and still go back, But I have Brit friends who moved just before 2020 as you say why not, But if they stop paying tax, move back to the Uk for more than 6 months in a year, all thier residency rights will be removed, Long term if they don't move back to the UK, they will end up with nothing!

[@SlimTortoise]

@Pawwel Mussial I think somewhere between 5 million and 5.5 Million is a true refection personally, Still a very large number, still voting with thier feet, still a refection that the UK for the young is the place to be not the EU.

[@SlimTortoise]

@Pawwel Mussial Take France and they can not even give jobs to thier own young, Brits who have moved here, bring money, bring business or are retired. I did not move here to France for work or opportunities, Because I knew thier was none, I had to bring money and work from outside, There are slightly more French in the UK, then Brits in France, yet the difference between them is worlds apart.

[@SlimTortoise]

@Pawwel Mussial I have bigger doubts about the EU, than the UK. It's like a Titanic ( EU) sailing towards a iceberg, to big and arrogant to think it's going to sink.

[@SlimTortoise]

@Pawwel Mussial Delusion,.I too think the EU will carry on, but only because they are like a disfunctional family, Germany wanting to rule and diluted Thier shame into another group, France to continue to be Germany,s poodle and collaborate, then those that just want money, ie Spain, Portugal , many of the country's in the east and south, then the spineless group who just want to have Thier paws in as many pies as possible ie Ireland, Sweden, so yes it will carry on in my view, slowly becoming less and less as trade is showing on the world stage, dropping every year, only those in the EU Bublé behind the protection racket called the single market will talk like you, paying 20% more for clothes and food to prop up failing business in the he EU, I,m too happy the UK left it's better than that and has wider connections in the other 90% of the world who do well outside the EU. Thanks for your comment.

[@equaliser2265]

It's a cataclysmic catastrophe of a personal vendetta, forced upon a subservient and cowed society.

[@BernasLL]

Yanis Varoufakis: "The EU forced the UK to have a years long negotiation." That's disingenuous. The UK is also having to negotiate with the rest of the world for years, because these negotiations take time, they are complex and both sides are stubborn because stakes are high. The leaving period has to take this into account, objectively. I like Varoufakis, but he can't be imparcial in some issues. Plenty of times during this interview, he clearly picked a biased perspective to lay out and argument from, and the interviewer was not up to the challenge.

[@emlynjay8633]

Love listening to Varoufakis's articulacy and experience from dealing with the EU yet he clings tenaciously to his Marxist philosophy in spite of Historical and Geographical calamities.

[@GG-hu9dn]

The "Marxist" argument is worn out?? As is the neoliberal one?! ;))

[@NoLefTurnUnStoned.]

G G People don't have a clue what Marxist actually means. It's used against anyone who isn't right wing.

[@ParcelOfRogue]

The UK government gave Nissan £90m to stay and say positive stuff, as a poster boy. They will not do this widely and it did not stop Honda, Sony, Philips, Panasonic, Dyson and Grenadier leaving the UK

[@GeorgeofGondor2]

And i guess all these will move to eastern Europe that has lower taxes and wages , and its understandable

[@folksinger2100]

@Zockblatt Shickleblender No they did not pay Ford. Ford had a policy to re locate to Turkey, the EU gave them a loan which Ford paid back with interest.

[@KleineJoop]

It is indeed just propaganda. It's looking bad over there

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Governments should nudge things along, not do too much apple carting, but the Tories tried to be much too controlling, and have caused much more chaos than would have been there naturally normally, if you get me...

[@rob5197]

The problem with accademics intellectuals is that they elaborate on subjects common people know nothing ____the eu is not an entity visible thing __he referendum was not a choice of having chicken or beef for dinner clear question ___whats the eu people will tell you is is what they get from the papers __how do you expect average person understand thousands of documents relating to the eu ?

[@howardpierce8460]

Yanis Varoufakis, Your talking crap now on Scottish pound , The pound Scots (Modern Scots: Pund Scots, Middle Scots: Pund Scottis) was the unit of currency in the Kingdom of Scotland before the kingdom unified with the Kingdom of England in 1707. It was introduced by David I, in the 12th century, on the model of English and French money, divided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence. The Scottish currency was later debased relative to sterling and, by the time of James III, the pound sterling was valued at four pounds Scots. In addition to the pound Scots, silver coins were issued denominated in merk, worth 13 shillings 4 pence (two-thirds of a pound Scots). When James VI became King James I of England in 1603, the coinage was reformed to closely match that of England, with 12 pounds Scots equal to the pound sterling.[1] No gold coinage was issued from 1638 to 1700, but new silver coinage was issued from 1664 to 1707.[2] In 1707, the pound Scots was replaced by the pound sterling at a rate of 12 to 1 (1 pound Scots equal to 1s 8d sterling), although the pound Scots continued to be used in Scotland as a unit of account for most of the 18th century. Today there is no distinct Pound Scots; but Scotland's three largest clearing banks (the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Bank of Scotland and the Clydesdale Bank) still print paper notes denominated in pounds sterling. These notes may be accepted as payment throughout the United Kingdom, but are much more commonly seen in Scotland; they represent the same Pound Sterling value as do Bank of England notes in England and Wales

[@neuralwarp]

I agree with almost everything Yanis ever says, but it seems to me he's still one step away from connecting the dots and realising that the "tory bourgeoisie" who run the UK are the same kind of people as those who run the EU. None of the pseudo-left parties in the UK supported brexit, despite the democratic process; nor did the unified right. Only the reformist parties did. The tories just supported brexit as a pragmatic necessity for their unity and to stay in power. But, oh boy, how they and both houses of Parliament resisted it, and colluded to make sure we got as much of a BRINO as possible. Why would we ever want to rejoin the EU? What does it give the world that the WTO doesn't do better? And without anti-green policies, and Ever Closer Homogenisation.

[@KleineJoop]

@Jimmy Riddle His government/fellow ministers wouldn't go with his risky plan. He explained in another video, it was a good plan but could have resulted in the closing of the banks. That plan ment playing the hand. He got the banks closing covered, shadow currency i believe and ultimately back to the drachme (and out of EU obviously), but all this only to get much better terms and an actual recovery for Greece instead of austerity. So he wanted to create some actual leverage for the negotiation, but his fellow governmentals didn't want to risk closing of the banks. I doubt it would have gone that far, as Varoufakis also knew (that's why he created that leverage) that if the European Comission did close them, the creditors, Deutsche bank etc, would be in great trouble and also might fall as Greece would likely leave the EU zone, go to drachme, and the creditors wouldn't see a penny. Sadly Varoufakis didn't get to create that leverage to win an actual human and decent and fair deal for Greece and EU taxpayers/creditors/etc during those negotiations. European comision and bankers won instead, but they got lucky, they got their win handed to them as Varoufakis's fellow ministers chickened out. Next country might be different, in fact, Brexit is. And not for the better. I fear Varoufakis is right, countries will continue to fall to populism and/or economic neoliberalism, destroying Europe.

[@jeromeh7985]

Reducing differences between people is the most effective way to avoid war and level up poor countries....What a bad goal so better to be selfish and firecly compete with your neighbors...

[@freewheelinghorn]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5SsnHywbp2tjrc

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Nice one, on the inside true story of Greece troubles with European Bank and EU banks, German etc..

[@dilibau]

Just turn the goddamn background music down !🤬

[@Robbiewa-bg4lu]

Good to see that he supports Brexit now

[@Robbiewa-bg4lu]

And we will never rejoin the EU either.

[@strangemagic5502]

Considering he was the Greek finance minister which led Greece into financial ruin, is anyone really interested in what he has to say?

[@freewheelinghorn]

clearly, you don't know what happened, what parties did what, or even the basic timeline of events. it's all available

[@strangemagic5502]

@@freewheelinghorn it's clear that I know more than you. Are you telling me he wasn't the fiance minister and the Greek government didn't overspend? It was well documented on current affair news at that time.

[@freewheelinghorn]

@@strangemagic5502 Nope that's not what I'm saying. Feel free to keep guessing the missing piece if you want to make it a fun game tho.

[@goarchie16]

While i agree with a lot of yanis' analysis the 'spite' reason of eu elites accepting Scotland in eu to snub Londons nose is off the wall. The eu has a lot to sort out absolutely. Ireland a portugal and Greece got shafted, again, they absolutely did. Portugal and Ireland are getting back to decent living standards. Greece should definitely have been treated differently as its economy wasn't allowed to balance and have some equity with other states on being allowed to join so its economy tanked quicker under depth. And housing wether rental markets or affordable home ownership is a problem throughout the eu needs to be addressed. As an irish citizen and eu citizen my human rights and standard of living is better in the eu than it ever could have been as an irish citizen outside of eu. There are three territories on the globe that can challenge corporate power the eu is one of them. Yes a fiscal union is the only step that will make europe a proper superpower. And hopefully Britain will re enter the customs union. Altjough it may re enter piece by piece as Northern Ireland, Scotlamd England and Wales

[@remittanceman4685]

Remain and Reform has been the British establishment's public position vis a vis the eu since 1973. It might sound great but it has some problems. The first is that it requires the British establishment to genuinely desire reform. For 43 years the British establishment showed absolutely no genuine desire to try and reform the eu. It's members made noises they thought would placate the British public then they would go to Brussels and do nothing. They'd then return and claim they'd won a great victory. Secondly, the eu had no desire to reform. It doesn't believe it needs reform. The British public finally realised that remain and reform wasn't going to work and thus there were only two options - accept surrender or get out. Brits don't usually do surrender. On a second point let's compare the situation of the eu with that of East Germany in 1989. Yes, the MSM focussed on the sudden rush of East Germans fleeing through Hungary but what brought down the monolithic state was the vast crowds of Berliners and Dresdeners who gathered outside the People's Palace and the HQ of the Stasi chanting, "uns bleib heir." They were the ones who brought down the Berlin Wall, not the people who just wanted to leave. The eu's Berliners and Dresdeners are the Vizegrad Four and Austria.

[@bencobley4929]

Ive never seen a bookshelf behind Yanis. He's got nothing to prove I guess.

[@psid9907]

twitter.com/yanisvaroufakis/status/1384421233635303425?s=19 In this tweet some Greek guy accused Varoufakis saying "All politicians have a desk or a bookcase behind them, Varoufakis has table salt and some detergent" to which he, an academic and former finance minister, promptly replied "Well we can't all be intellectual, and read books. What else am I gonna hear on Twitter?"

[@cyberslim7955]

19:00 Now he is crazy, telling me, that the British gov is more democratic than the EU? Is he completely bonkers?

[@MVEProducties]

That guy is insane, always has been.

[@cyberslim7955]

24:50 No, it's not. The Spanish have to deal with their own stuff internally and they cannot block other European countries to become members!

[@bertverhoosel7437]

He will always be a dreamer. I would like to believe him , a bit like Trotsky .

[@GG-hu9dn]

"A dreamer"? So what is your perspective then? I am intrigued?! :))

[@GG-hu9dn]

Excluding the stupidity of one dimensional comparisons, such as the marxist crap? That ole - worn - out - argument?!!

[@saxglend9439]

Socialists are infantile fantasists.

[@GG-hu9dn]

@@saxglend9439 Your narrow views are absolutely infantile - they are pathetic - self - interest - regressive - stupidity?! "Neanderthal - toryism", in the first degree!?

[@saxglend9439]

@@GG-hu9dn R u agitated?

[@robertwatson7987]

even if you leave you won't leave...but that is the reason to leave.

[@theBagheera22]

your sentence makes no sense

[@garybarrett4881]

No, that’s an abdication of responsibility. The not truly leaving is your own decision, not something forced on you. Like someone who quits a gym/club but still desperately wants to come in to use only their favourite gym facilities. Your overwhelming need to keep using the tennis courts is your own responsibility, no point blaming the other club members.

[@robertwatson7987]

​@@garybarrett4881 You are right to the extent that a faction of Remain voters (not all of course) failed to fully support a referendum result. It matters far less what the outcome was. What really mattered was that those who voted for the side that lost respected the outcome fully. And if you mean by responsibility that the British people as a whole did not do this, I accept that.

[@TonThonFraisdEau]

Only 2 things valid said by Varoufakis : 1/ BoE printing money in 2008 when the CBE didn't 2 / explanation of the butched Covid vaccine programm

[@tonycook7679]

Sorry Yannis, like it or lump it, the idea that being in the same position as Norway which is the only end point that Brexit can finally achieve is pointless. The UK is European because that is where it is and bad luck for that.

[@cyberslim7955]

25:30 Not the answer he expected! 😂 Let's face facts. The UK is not joining unless it can demonstrate to the EU that they work by the principle of rule of law!

[@brucegroom1929]

Very smart man. I narrowly voted Leave and became more convinced as the vitriol and anger from the hard Remainers became more and more unpleasant. I do believe it was Remain's vote to lose; However the true Democrats, both left and right are now moving on. Interesting times.

[@fabioschneider5970]

" Make Greece great again " Xi Jinping ( I am glad the power elite of Greece had only the best interest of Greek tax payers on their mind, producing one safe vaccine after another. SALUTE ! ) A crime against logic - Is life only a chess board ? What would Franklin Roosevelt answer to your De- mock-racy statement on crisis management , hmm ? 27:53 - very accurate reality check, respect earned. Greetings, your favorite Jester...

[@jimwest7107]

As a Leaver I'm fairly content with how it's going. Brexit has proven to me that beyond the Single Market (possibly) there is nothing else of value to the UK from the EU.

[@equaliser2265]

Your satisfied? The UK is self imploding, a corrupt and unfunctioning government, running you back to the 1930s.

[@theodoreskouris5694]

I am amazed that there are still people out there listening to Yanis with one "n". Very funny indeed.

[@TonThonFraisdEau]

Brexiters insulted remainers and it was not suicidal for the Tories ....

[@folksinger2100]

Why does he forget to point out that it was a very close result result, the Scots, Northern Ireland and it now appears that a majority pf Welsh Welsh voted Remain. Brexit was a total english nationalist project. With Wales it has been researched and discovered that as Wales has a large majority of retired and otherwise english living there that tipped Wales into leave. Lexit are a completely deluded bunch they thought that leaving the EU would allow speedy nationalisation but forget that with a change of government will reverse all progress within a week. That is why the Labour Party must support PR. What he forgets is that there will be always a large group of people in the uk that still support the EU and wish to be members. The vaccine roll out, the uk spread bet by buying loads of vaccine from many sources. In 2012 the EU allowed sovereign members to obtain medicines and license for use for their own citizens, hence the uk early start. However this uk policy did wind up with paying considerably more per vaccine than the EU. Please remember the 2008 collapse originated in the USA under a neo lib regime.. Considering he his Greek he does not ever point out the reluctance of the Greek population never paid their taxbill.

[@begood6011]

Wales voted leave, do Remainers ever stop telling lies?

[@tomh2121]

@@begood6011 Well John isn't completely wrong. It was English people living in Wales that tipped it to vote Leave. You, however, are also correct to say that Wales voted Leave.

[@begood6011]

@@tomh2121 How do they know the breakdown by nationality? Is this just some made up analysis to blame England for all the woes of Wales?

[@begood6011]

The result is the result, everybody that took part in it agreed to the terms and if they didn't they should have abstained. This was not a Scottish, English, Welsh, NI referendum, it was a UK referendum. One might now add why is NI still in the EU orbit, and that is a valid question. It is resolving the EU issue that has plagued this country for decades. The problem is not this one referendum but the total lack of referendums throughout the life of this project where the people have not once been consulted since joining the EC.

[@tomh2121]

@@begood6011 www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/sep/22/english-people-wales-brexit-research nation.cymru/news/wales-brexit-vote-caused-by-english-retirees-oxford-university/ www.thetimes.co.uk/article/wealthy-english-blow-ins-swung-welsh-brexit-vote-r3qkpmnn3 From a Nationalist, left wing and centre right newspaper

[@TonThonFraisdEau]

Support for Scottish Indy is the first reasonable thought ....

[@saxglend9439]

SNP are nazis

[@TonThonFraisdEau]

@@saxglend9439 Is it because of the "N" in SNP ? Или почему ты за Путина ?

[@saxglend9439]

@@TonThonFraisdEau N = Nazi

[@TonThonFraisdEau]

@@saxglend9439 That's it ? You are a bit short.... and Tories are terrorists cuz the "T", right ? And you are a Nazi too since you have an "n" in your name ...

[@saxglend9439]

@@TonThonFraisdEau I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.

[@jamesgill1973]

I voted against joining the common market in the 1970s and I voted yes to leaving the German dominated eu in 2016. The eu are not our friends but are just a vehicle for Germany to control Europe after two failures at trying to take it by force. Richer or poorer we who love freedom and our nation did the right thing

[@rogerterry5013]

Yanis Varoufakis is not in touch with the real people who voted for Brexit. The vast majority has always failed to understand the link between the GDP, (the sum of all transactions in the economy) and Government spending. The amount available for Health and Education is directly linked to the GDP which, if low, makes less available for health and education. Brexit will result and a lower GDP since trading is more difficult so there will be not boost for the NHS paid for by the “savings” of the UK’s payment to the EU. Though I respect Yanis Varoufakis I think his approach to the EU is too academic. Well reasoned, logical but not in touch with power of social media to work for the monopolists and oligarchs.

[@bryangeake5826]

Yanis does get a bit hyperbolic! Why is UVD a 'failed defence minister'? She was up against the Christian Democrats who were happier to give their troops wooden rifles to train with rather than modern equipment, and allow the Kriegsmarine's destroyers to stay in harbour, mostly inoperable for spare parts!! She was up against a government that did not want to spend on defence. Why is the EU a cartel? The EU does not 'fix prices' as far as I am aware? The AZ contract UVD signed was reneged upon by AZ not that the EU failed to pay or keep their end, the UK just doubled the offer price and got AZ to 'honour' their contract. So as much as I enjoy listening to Yanis, he still has an EU bias given the Greece's roughing up in 2010-2015 over their bale out. I agree that the EU did not treat Greece well, but the EU was not obligated to bale out Greece's financial irresponsibility. Thy borrowed/spent far too much and did not deal with Greece's problems of low investment and efficiency/productivity problems. They would have been roughed up more by the IMF if they went there to get a loan!!

[@ashberka4226]

This is some funny interview about EU from country that is basically parasite of EU. I have worked shortly in Greece and have to say that country will never prosper by itself. They need others to get money from. That is why, I consider this talk entertaining.

[@epidemicrochip3033]

And what was your job in Greece cause I worked in Athens and Crete and I have to say the best despite the struggle in crisis years.

[@ashberka4226]

@@epidemicrochip3033 Research for publisher. People are lazy, constantly on the brake, promising work to be done, and nothing happens, and the best consistantly on the strike about everything. Specially against goverment. When I researched old news from Greece newspapers, nothing changed for decades.

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

@@ashberka4226 Promise work to be done? Sounds like UK's present Tory government, and ones in recent past.

[@stevendouglas3860]

Divide and Rule .

[@hilkovanwalraven3111]

Listen to this man he knows about economics . Your country could be as rich and well managed as Greece

[@patnewway528]

greek minister talking about finance ???????? who was about to go bankrupt...??????? youre always talking to him????????

[@imnotanalien7839]

Please use your intellect and economic knowledge on turning around Greece… then the rest of the world may be able to follow your implemented plan. Run for president! You certainly have the name recognition…..

[@danellis-jones1591]

Brexit isn't going well, is it.

[@howardpierce8460]

Dan Ellis-JonesYou are right Brexit is not going very well for the EU they have kicked all their toys out of the Pram

[@danellis-jones1591]

@@howardpierce8460 They have bigger things to deal with. Brexit is just an on-going side show for them. Mate... the EU just aren't that into you.

[@howardpierce8460]

@@danellis-jones1591 they should be very worried that more nations follow the Uk out an exit for all is on the cards

[@danellis-jones1591]

@@howardpierce8460 You didn't listen to Yanis did you. It's been such a shitshow, no other nation will risk it. And we're only just beginning the nightmare that brexit will bring. Because we've already signed trade deals detrimental to the UK, because we have a very little experience negotiating trade deals and we're in a position of weakness. And these poor trade deals will lock us in for years.

[@howardpierce8460]

@@danellis-jones1591 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHOWmIlpdryEfLM

[@mataform]

Can someone out there tell me exactly what the 'progressive' movement stands for? What are their policies?

[@mikedudley4062]

Division, and... Wait for it... The needs of the few outway the needs of the many... Sacrificing it's citizens to save a few boat people.... Labour is dead apart from ideologues on Left

[@cyberslim7955]

24:05 Totally agree. Any European country is welcome into the EU, if can meet basic criteria! Scotland would meet instantly!

[@TonThonFraisdEau]

Poor Yannis ......Still not getting Brexit is about racism ......

[@spartacusforlife1508]

Go and watch the 70's debates between pro and anti Europeans especially Tony Benn. In every way he was right. I personally applauded brexit, not because I'm a little englander but because it is the only way, I saw, of collapsing the economic system which has seen real term wage decline for the past 45 yrs. Yes it will be painful, I expected that, but the working class of the u.k. have been living through financial painful times for decades

[@allykhan8594]

Lol. Europeanise other nations debt!! Never Happen. The Euro was a bad idea. A European Union For Trade, Movement of Money and limited movement of People would have been the best mixture. I was not for Brexit because of the obvious damage having been intertwine with the E.U for so long. You can see that the Shift of Wealth (Capital & Manufacturing) to Asia has a downward effect on the so called working class who have too many aspirations that will be unfulfilled. In our life time we will see at least 1 or more states Leave the E.U. It is a question of Economic and social pressure and time, almost like observing (if you could) geological changes that turns the Dead to Hydrocarbons.

[@mohammadiqbal6688]

Io conosco bene te per piacere no bugie tua eurovison euromission

[@PabloTBrave]

Himself personally and his country were screwed over repeatedly by the EU yet he still supports it staggering . The EU path hasn't changed since it formed, a federation, the United States of Europe, if you like that path that's great . For all those who have been saying for decades let's change it from within , it will never happen .

[@kw2142]

He supports it because he's a realist. He knows leaving it will just lead to endless years of negotiations which is exactly what's happened to UK and will continue to do so for another decade. Exactly as predicted by Yanis.

[@Bustergonad9649]

The Greeks built their own house of cards, nothing to do with the EU.

[@CBfrmcardiff]

@@Bustergonad9649 yeah but their problem would be self correcting if they had a free floating currency. Which they don't. The Euro impoverishes failing countries because it makes their exchange rates relatively uncompetitive.

[@Bustergonad9649]

@@CBfrmcardiff how would that make them collect taxes ? Or pay people appropriate pension ?

[@CBfrmcardiff]

@@kw2142 if greece had an independent currency, the debt crisis would cause a currency devaluation, reducing the real value of the debt (which would have been in drachma) and making Greek exports much more competitive, so that after the economic shock there would be the seeds for a recovery. This would have made the debt more risky for investors to acquire, meaning higher interest rates to create it, meaning it would be more difficult for Greek governments to run up the debt in the first place. The real damage in a drachma scenario would have been inflation, because paying huge pensions unfunded by tax income will result in very high inflation, which would be a pain shared across the Greek economy. Voters could accept the pain of inflation, then, or they could choose politicians who'd balance the budget. Or a bit of both, of course. This is why the news makes big headlines when the Fed Reserve in the States or the Bank of England in the UK makes base rate changes, because the organisation maintaining a currency has "monetary policy options" that can stimulate an economy. In reality Greece was in the Euro. The debt was run up in Euros, very safe for investors and so a very low interest rate until the moment of crisis. The value of the debt has not decreased in real terms as the value of the Euro is stable. Greek exports are relatively expensive to places outside the EU, as the value of the euro is kept high because of other, well performing economies. Meanwhile within the EU Greece joined the Euro with the drachma converted at a high rate (meaning Greek exports are not competitive internally within the EU) while the building of the Single Market tends to drag prices towards an homogenous mean, which in Greece means long term inflationary pressure despite a faltering economy. Because monetary policy is made for the Continent as a whole, monetary policy is not tailored to help Greece in particular.

[@strangemagic5502]

A leftwing politician in charge of finances when Greece needed bailing out. Yep I think we can instantly dismiss Yanis on this one

[@Whizzy-jx3qe]

The uk was in a similar position back in the seventies,the uk was the sick man of Europe.

[@TonThonFraisdEau]

Mixing up Tories and their voters .....

[@louis-philippearnhem6959]

Dramatic consequences for the EU? Brexit is not a topic here. The drama happens in the UK.

[@louis-philippearnhem6959]

@Zockblatt Shickleblender I live in the EU. There was some fear here in Belgium that the Brexit would have economic consequences, but so far Brexit is not a topic in the papers, unlike in the UK.

[@begood6011]

@@louis-philippearnhem6959 Well it’s done now, not an issue here anymore either, bye

[@louis-philippearnhem6959]

@@begood6011 Really? 😂

[@rgp560]

Too much

[@TonThonFraisdEau]

Unity of the Tories by Purge .......ha ha ....lol

[@cartmann227]

Yanis. So Continental Europe is to Blame for brexit. Really? You are as unwise as ever.

[@georgeconstanti8416]

Watch the video again. You seem to have missed the point.

[@cartmann227]

@@georgeconstanti8416 no I did not. The old mistakes of the left are represented in his arguments. All or nothing. Which enebels the right to succeed.

[@lsobrien]

If the EU would've conceded on some of the UK government's demands, they might not have lost one of their most powerful members.

[@Youtubechannel-po8cz]

Of course the EU was to blame for Brexit. How did the Brussels bunglers manage to lose its 2nd largest economy and financial contributor? Pure arrogance. They presumed they knew better and could do whatever they liked. They are continuing to make mistakes, now they are trying to impose their values on the more conservative Eastern European states. They haven’t learnt a thing about Brexit, it’s unbelievable the same morons are still in their over-paid jobs. The EU is on a downward spiral.

[@cartmann227]

@@lsobrien the UK is a burden. Not an asset. Be gone.

[@yvonnerout7319]

it was God's will that we leave the EU

[@steveclark7918]

Does God exist?

[@saxglend9439]

@@steveclark7918 Yes she does.

[@grahamjames5618]

put the claws back in Yanis - you lost get over it FFS!!!!!!!

[@lsobrien]

Did you even watch this?

[@mt508]

@@lsobrien He clearly didn't.

[@klausschumacher7126]

Yanis is like a dog who was mistreated many years ago when he was Greece finance minister. He never said that the Greece financial crisis was mostly a problem built on lies and internal mismanagement. Now he is commenting as a financial guru to anything what he things is the fault of the EU. He makes his livelihood with this but it's on a Nigel Farrag level but sometimes he is correct but mostly he is too emotional influenced by the past. By the way he looks good compared to 2008 or before what shows that he is doing well in his job....

[@sophiabee8924]

Yannis is brilliant. Greece would have left the EU too, had it not been for the Referendum rule that allows a veto. Honestly, you have to wonder what the point was but hey ho.... The EU is like a huge, private economic club, run by a few people, that if questioned BY THE PEOPLE, they go on the defensive. The EU reminds me of a cesspit that needs cleaning. While I was very pro and a remainer, I am very glad we are no longer there. The organisation needs reforming, and if it had been reformed, then perhaps the UK would have stayed. Interestingly when I was last in Paris, I saw stickers for Frexit everywhere!!

[@MVEProducties]

It’s England that wanted Brexit, not the UK. Scotland will be back!

[@howardpierce8460]

Yanis Varoufakis, you hit in a nutshell if UK adopted the euro UK would be still in the EU, thank god we didn't take on the euro or we would be like your country bankrupt UK is out get over it, by the way UK is still paying for your mess

[@gs032009]

Why would the UK be bankrupt with the Euro currency? There aren't any evidence to support your domesday prediction. In fact, without the Euro which you reject, and using the pound which you praise blindly, given the fact that the UK is c. 3/4 the size of Germany, shouldn't the UK be by now 3/4 as economically successful as Germany?? Of course, we now it isn't, it's one of those countries where GDP per capita does not by far reflect the reality of an average country with huge chunks of its population being quite poor and the predictions are that it is on a path to more poverty, more unequal society, with more youngsters eager to migrate to Australia. Which in turn will make it an older country gradually taken over by those people brexiteers wanted to stop from coming, and wrongly accused the EU of allowing the latter to enter EU borders and make it to british shores.

[@howardpierce8460]

@@gs032009 Greece Ireland springs to mind

[@johntheaccountant5594]

@@howardpierce8460 Add Italy

[@louisbeerreviews8964]

@@johntheaccountant5594 Add Malta

[@Don-Coyote-De-Transylvania]

Oh, that guy who blame EU for his corrupt government give us lessons.

[@psid9907]

Didn't know it was "Let's just make stuff up" hour! Do I get an entry? Starmer will resign tomorrow and Corbyn will assume his rightful position as Labour leader with all the smears against him cleared UPDATE: He accused me of not knowing anything about Greece and getting my knowledge off of some online outlet or sth like that. So that was my honest reply. Since then, he deleted the comment.

[@psid9907]

@@Don-Coyote-De-Transylvania Oh how I love it when condescending effs get hosed. I'm Greek and I've never lived outside of Greece, so you can absolutely shove your arrogant rubbish in any of your crevices you prefer.

[@lsobrien]

Oh dear, looks like you got owned sweetie.

[@Robbiewa-bg4lu]

I think that Jeremy Corbyn voted for Brexit.