Yanis Varoufakis: 'The European project is already finished’

“Is the European project… ultimately doomed do you think?”
“Absolutely. It’s already doomed, it’s already finished”.
Yanis Varoufakis, former Greek finance minister, says the “repeated failure of the European powers” to utilise opportunities to create common policies has resulted in a failed union which is “essentially reproducing misery”.
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[@SimonBrady-i1k]

He speaks a lot of sense, This guy. If he was not Greek he would be respected and listened to more.

[@urrywest]

Altough the Ukraine war is full of pretences, some of the outcomes might lead to a central bank.... Am I right?

[@honestjoe7940]

lol cruelty for brown people "The great replacement theory" give me a break

[@John-wf5if]

No he doesn't. He's a big gov statist.

[@KennyG-qh8jc]

yes when were the Greeks listened too or seen as great thinkers ..... oh wait.... what an imb1cile lol

[@thatisme3thatisme38]

Lol. He is a poser. He creates a problem then pretends he's the solution

[@andyash5675]

"I don't harbour great expectations for the Starmer government." 🤣😭

[@susannamarker2582]

Nor do I. Starmer is a confirmed communist from the Haldane Society of lawyers. What does a hard-left lawyer know about market economics ? My vote is with Rishi Sunak.

[@RobertThomson-y4m]

The Greeks were terribly treated by the French and Germans.

[@gerharddeusser9103]

Scapegoats for the failure of the US stock market 2008.

[@marky1974]

The greeks had an unaffordable and bloated public service..

[@kallekas8551]

Sry. My experience with Greeks and money that isn’t theirs…😂

[@paraponon]

The Greeks were treated terribly by "Yanis" Varoufakis.

[@tomorrowneverdies567]

@@marky1974 Evidence?

[@hydra7427]

He's saying what people don't want to hear. The EU as a "project" was always a half-assed United States of Europe, and unlike the United States which recognized its initial Articles of Confederation didn't work, the EU chugs on because any criticisms are LALALALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU. If you actually want a strong EU, you should take the criticism and maybe act on it.

[@Ronnet]

The EU isn't a federal state. The notion to intertwine European economies to make countries dependent on each other and therefore make it less likely that they will fight each other has been a massive success. Resulting in the longest lasting peace in Europe's history. Only broken by Russia, a country strongly against European collaboration. Anything else the EU does besides this core function is just a bonus. If those other activities slow down then that's not the EU failing as long as the economic Union remains and since it's a massive success there is no sign that it won't.

[@hydra7427]

@@Ronnet It sure makes laws like a federal state. Face facts, either the EU federalizes or it abandons its dumb parliament and courts. It faces the exact same issues the early US did, and is setting itself up for a major breakup for really no reason other than trying to please everyone and ending up pleasing nobody.

[@mseeross]

@@Ronnet That notion would have happened with or without the EU. Trade is good, and countries want to engage in trade anyway. That the EU claims this is purely due to their machinations is simply claiming a good that would have existed anyway.Peace exists in North and South America, peace exists in central and south east Asia, is that due to the EU? Also, the EU hasn't dissipated tensions between nations, merely governed them in a way that makes the tensions less obvious - they still remain, to deny this is wilful ignorance

[@tapwater76]

Yanis U are wasting your valued breath. Those with eyes shall see and those with ears shall hear. People refuse to see danger even when U bring it to their door step

[@thatisme3thatisme38]

Valued???

[@dinkeydink9376]

Austerity for Greece. Free Money for Italy, Spain & the rest. The Trojka in Bryssel totally ruined Greece forever.

[@nelm612]

Europe was better before the EU .....At the very least, it was more European than it is now.

[@felixnilsson2440]

This is some weak trolling.

[@persperspersp2866]

With a near continent-wide bloodbath every 10 to 30 years, yeah it was a great place to live for a 1000 years, not!

[@tomtom2806]

Most Europeans don’t want to be governed by a superstate from Brussels. Common debts and taxation from Brussels would be horrible.

[@Derederi]

Its already happening. Are you living under a rock?

[@MarKeMu125]

​@@Derederi since Brexit, how so?

[@Just_another_Euro_dude]

It doesn't MATTER if you are in the EU or not. Your thoughts and your freedom of speech are controled by the USA and Washington anyways. Cause of the big tech censors that are all located in the USA as all these sites are American.

[@IanDavies-gy4mg]

He's a bit bitter, isn't he?

[@zzhughesd]

Yup. That’s him !!!

[@chrisdickens4268]

This perfectly explains why the uk electorate repeatedly votes against their own interest...

[@45wasright43]

No he's not. He's realistic.

[@alphabetaxenonzzzcat]

It's kind of strange how he clung to the EU project, especially after what the EU did to his own country(Greece), what with imposing those very harsh economic conditions on it.

[@IanDavies-gy4mg]

@@alphabetaxenonzzzcat The EU didn't. This is a common misconception. The countries in the euro did this, but they only represent two thirds of the EU and even include states not in the EU. Countries like the UK or Poland etc. have their own currencies and so weren't involved in the measures imposed. I have some sympathy with the people of Greece, but much less with their government who misrepresented their economic position when they joined the euro and ran huge budget deficits whilst making little effort to sort out the issues.

[@Tridhos]

"The EU has failed" and yet every European country is trying to get into it. This guy cannot accept that Greece was a basket case and expected Germany to bail it out on a permanent basis. They were just not collecting taxes and yet paying out generous pensions.

[@jonwatson6918]

Didn't he want someone else to run the Greek Central Bank until everything was well and then give it back? And wondered why his wheeze got no traction at all .

[@swordarmstudios6052]

He is saying the EU as an institution is failing to function properly on multiple levels. It has it's benefits, but it has been unresponsive and meandering in crisis after crisis. The EU is still fundamentally a weak body. And reform within the EU needs to be considered. It needs more power, and more ability to act. For a historical parallel to consider - the US was first founded on the Articles of Confederation - with an extremely weak central goverment. This didn't work as we were wracked with crisis and instability in the first decade of the countries history , so we wrote a constitution that gave the federal explicit powers - but constrained by enumerated state powers.

[@reggiebuffat]

@@swordarmstudios6052the EU failed, let’s give it more power! 😮

[@khar12d8]

But if the EU was meant to develop a powerful Europe that did not need to rely on the US, as de Gaulle wanted, then it is a failure. Europe isn't capable of defending itself without the US. And Europe has failed to produce growth and innovation like the US, where is the European Silicon Valley? And the UK just left the EU, it went the other way. Whatever you think of Brexit, the EU's inability to keep a nation inside was a failure. And now you have alt right movements taking power in Europe that may not want to leave the EU but they may change the EU so much that it becomes unrecognisable compared to the "European dream" of open borders, liberal values etc...

[@amadeuz819]

They need to try to blame someone because I would also be angry if I would loose my income because I couldn't collect the pensions of an dead family member. Then for real, they are very tourist dependent so Corona did a number on them. The climate starting to change also in southern Europe has caused massive problems for them. Then take the war and EU has started to fix the holes in the "sanction net" Greece probably feeling a pinch from that too. Like when things get tough you can either point your finger and blame someone else for your problems or you adapt and fix the problems. He seems to be one that like to point the finger and sit on his behind.

[@c3p0boba56]

Whenever I feel slightly positive, I come to Yanis on KZbin and I spit negativity out of every hole in my body. It's fantastic and helps much against persistent constipation. Continental europe will be fine though, it has been through a lot of the centuries and has always survived. It has culture and ideology to fall back on: working hard for money to stay alive.

[@charlesbeaudry3263]

Reminds me of what Marc Twain said. "THE RUMOURS OF MY DEMISE ARE EXAGERATED". Easy to say Europe is dead. My friends are always predicting the end of the financial world but even broken clocks tell the right time twice a day.

[@hubertusvenator5838]

The European Union is not the European continent.

[@afritimm]

The Euro currency zone will not survive as presently constituted. The question is how it will be re-constituted.

[@johntowers1213]

@@afritimm you think its bad now..just wait till they rush through Ukraine's membership in the middle of a war and the other nations have to deal with that hot financial mess dropped in their lap...

[@freeforester1717]

Perhaps Yanis could address the illegal migrant crisis, and why Britain should be the ‘safe refuge’ of choice when we are not even in the EU any longer, (partly due to their mishandling of illegal migrant policy)? Obliging Ireland to rehome them does not appear to be working too well.

[@brendanlea3605]

Perhaps you could check your facts on Britain being the safe refuge of choice for illegal migrants. Most of them are happy to get away from their war torn, asset stripped countries (by the west), to some sort of hope for the future. If they have family here or speak a little English that may make Britain more desirable obviously.

[@joostandhisband9648]

Greece came into the EU because France insisted. And in a certain way they were right. It's the cradle of our democracy. Nevertheless, through the ages there was less and less of this original Greece left. So since they joined the EU it has always been a bit difficult to keep up with the rest of the EU, mainly because they have the same problem as Ukraine and Russia, in a smaller amount, but the absence of a well organized tax collecting system and a institutionalized "friends" corruptive system and mayor orthodox influence is keeping it's economic development lagging. Hiding mayor financial debacles is damaging the trustworthiness of its government and institutions. Instead of fixing these problems, Yanis is opting for spreading Greece's problems over the EU as a whole. I don't think that's a good idea. Helping Greece by standing firm for good economic practice and helping them to improve these flaws are giving better results in my opinion. Although I do agree that we need EU synchronization in civil, penal and tax laws and a EU defense force, EU financial policy and foreign policy. And we need to help Greece financially when it's really necessary, after all we are a union.

[@RealMash]

They came in with the help of American banks that gave money and fudged the numbers..then Greece expected to get money without any changes imposed to go on-spending the money of Europe as a whole for the time being to not anger the Greek populace. And he is allowed to speak on the BBC and is taken serious?

[@Joey-ct8bm]

It was a complete mishandling of finances in Greece why they've so much troubles now. They gave out state bonds like candy to children, Yanis Varoufakis blames everybody but his own government. The Greek government entering the EU also lied about there debt and Yanis Varoufakis blamed it on the Germans and the ECB.

[@seanlander9321]

Greece is not the cradle of democracy, it’s very new to democracy after being under military rule, and being particularly deficient at emancipation.

[@slackerbarny]

I think he is going back to ancient times, Athens and the city states.

[@seanlander9321]

@@slackerbarny Yeah I know, but they were Athenians, not Greeks.

[@pjhgerlach]

🥱 The failed Greek Minister of economy.

[@45wasright43]

Says the nobody on KZbin who has never achieved anything😏

[@cristic767]

@@45wasright43 The guy in the video achieved something? Something more besides being the laughing stock of Europe...

[@pjhgerlach]

@@45wasright43 Answers the MAGA clown who has nothing to show for himself🥱

[@pyotk]

@@45wasright43 you commented a total of like 3 times in this comment section, seems like you are the nobody on KZbin who has never achieved anything, quite embarrassing I might say that between these 3 comments you only have 1 like sounds like a bit of cope🪦

[@slawomirozdoba4605]

@@45wasright43 Ruining a whole country's economy is an achievement these days?

[@mattgordon9179]

Victim hood. Love the Greece people but they never moved on from the post war period and were to relaxed about everything.......tax collection for one.

[@amadeuz819]

Like has to sck when you can't just skip the paperwork and pocket the money without telling anyone... Still remember the old man in Greece that always sat at the hotel and kept an eye on the cash flow storing the extra gains in his pocket during the night :D Corona did huge damage to Greece when many places there are dependent on tourists, not talking about the huge fires that happened so they have had some bad luck the last years.

[@mattgordon9179]

@@amadeuz819 And now there Tax system has rebounded to the far Right. The same Jeep that costs $158'000 in Greece I can buy for $95'000 here in New Zealand

[@tomorrowneverdies567]

I will copy paste from another comment of mine. Hi. I live in Greece. Things are not 100% like you wrote I'm afraid. They were collecting taxes. And government budgets were all balanced until the year 2008. No difference than any other country in Europe. And suddenly in late 2008, 2009, 2010, the government budgets became -10.2%, -15.2%, -11.4% of GDP respectively. Why? And why only in Greece? Still today I don't know. Theoretically, one can look into these years' government budgets published by the greek government. You can google "Greece government budget trading economics" and you can observe these things. But my point is that the greek government never had low taxes collectivity AND gave high pensions at the same time. Huge tax evasion did happen. But it happened in 2008, 2009, 2010 as far as I can remember. Not before that. And perhaps I know why. My suspicion is that, because in 2008, many financial scandals of greek politicians were published. So many people started to think "why should I keep paying my taxes, if no government uses them to improve life conditions in Greece?".So my point is: who caused this deliberately made crisis? My answer: greek politicians.

[@mattgordon9179]

@@tomorrowneverdies567 Question I have is regarding Technology? Prior to 2008 had the Greece Government implemented new technologies to make things easier for the Greek people. Here in New Zealand from the Mid 1980's people were using electronic cards on a daily bases to buy a bottle of milk at the corner store. We started to simplify bureaucracy and cut a lot of red tape so it became very easy to do a lot of transactions......such as paying Taxes. Buying property with an integrated property data base......the list goes on. Did the many islands in Greece that rely on tourism stop using so much Cash and start electronic transfer way before 2008?

[@tomorrowneverdies567]

@@mattgordon9179 No. Sorry, but I didn't quite understand your point. You mean that not using electronic payment means, means high tax evasion, and that therefore, if Greece deployed electronic payment widely in 2008, nothing bad would have happened?

[@harrickvharrick3957]

The EU had already been an overwhelming success during the passed many decades. It has created a trading zone that allows for easy, fast and hassle-free import/export between its member states, and involves and has involved developmental corporation between its member states. The economic advantages this has involved and still involves cannot be overstated. It has continuously improved living conditions for every of the inhabitants of its member states (and historically this ESPECIALLY has been so of those of new members), and continues to be a cause of a main part of their priority still every day today. The Brits, who after half a century of negotiations and signing agreements as a result of millions of man-years of work of its diplomats and politicians of the days, ill-advisedly decided to STEP OUT of the EU, giving up all those perks (its citizens being welcome in the whole union even to settle being given similar right to domestic citizens abroad in ANY respect, uninterrupted fast transport of products both ways over their borders, the standardized paperwork, taxes and regulations to conform with already having been taken care of at the point of departure of the truck or vessel, ESPECIALLY important with fresh produce and saving up to weeks of waiting on parking lots at border crossings for each ride) can attest to. THE EU WAS NEVER MEANT TO FACE, OR DECIDE OVER, SOME OF THE MODERN-DAY PROBLEMS IT FACES NOW. For that reason without exception EU member states (AFAIK, all of them) ALSO are NATO members, a membership (that always is, active) that also the UK is wise and traditionally experienced enough to value and maintain, as (it is) a guarantee for its survival (and helps that if the other members, of course).

[@seanlander9321]

Well genius, why didn’t the EU require change in Russia before financing it with trade? The narcissism and lack of intellectual development in Europeans is simply staggering.

[@chriscantplay...2933]

Hearing normal people dismissed as "xenophobic, racist, ultra-right" feels very 2016 and just shows how the political class still haven't listened to a word we are saying.

[@sot11cat]

I'm Greek. He says these nonsense since 2011-2012 😂😂😂. The man who placed the grave stone 🪨 on Greek economy in 2014-2015.

[@RealMash]

Don't get me wrong..I am pained about the restrictions placed on Greece..and they were necessary...but I think there are now signs of hope in local people creating good olive oil and marketing it..Greece has a very hard stretch still ahead...but I hope Greece recovers and gets as strong as can be again! The pain for the population...bad. But I see n other way?

[@nopasnopopoulos3530]

Being greek doesn't make your opinion matter more. I mean you probably vote for mitsotakis so...

[@ΟρέστηςΚαραογλάνης]

Πέστα μεγάλε γιατί στην Αγγλία δεν ξέρουν τι τους γίνεται

[@tomorrowneverdies567]

I am greek, and definitely not a supporter of his. But I wonder why you believe he placed the grave stone on the greek economy. The man did not increase government indebtment, or harm the economy in any way I can see. GDP and GDP per capita when he left were the same as when he entered office.

[@ΟρέστηςΚαραογλάνης]

@@tomorrowneverdies567 ...αγάπη μου έκλεισα τις τράπεζες...

[@knightatthecrossroads222]

What Juncker started corrupt Ursula finishes....

[@elfistro6717]

Still saying EU is doomed… such a bore… and bitter…

[@Mike-ys4sr2023]

Thanks again Mr Yanis fo information we normally don't get about Europe.

[@thewanderinghermit7609]

Good Man

[@stormyweathers9887]

For the attention of Liberal Democrats, who still want to board the sinking ship!

[@bobzzo9041]

10 years ago the EU should have let Greece leave the eurozone and bankrupt. Under the wise rule of this guy as a financial minister. Instead they saved Greece.

[@ThatGuyThanus]

Saved Greece??? 😂😂😂

[@tomorrowneverdies567]

They did that. But the greek governments refused.

[@mirozkapeluszem]

They did not save Greece but the German banks which gave the loans to Greece. If Greece would go bankrupt than the German banks would collapse. The rescue was not for Greece but for Germany.

[@almirantevaltjen678]

Germany and France the dynamic duo of the EU. Everything is and has been manipulated by those two for their own benefit and prosperity. Imposing draconian economic and social measures to the other members but not applicable to them. Imposing high interest to other EU members at their convenience while they "prospered" and bragged of their unique and special exceptions.

[@sk8erbyern]

Greece looks like a saved country to you?

[@RadiusG60]

Speaking here from Los Angeles. I like several of the concepts he discusses, and wish these would be included in the general conversations in the US. First is the friction forces that prevent efficient use of capitol. Here for example, the infrastructure spending has been inefficient - wasting a great opportunity in advance semiconductor manufacturing. Friction created by the DEI mandates, workforces lacking skills due to misplaced higher education are hampering progress. Next the center collapse that is fundamentally caused by poor governance, leading to far right and far left forces gaining strength because government does not deliver for average people and they have nowhere to turn.

[@SynapseDriven]

This guy is sooooooo overrated, it's always other people's fault, what a cry baby.

[@Rayxxx19741]

SOME PEOPLE DOESN T LIKE THAT EU WILL NOT THEM STEAL THEIR COUNTRY. HE SAYS CHINA IS DOING BETTER YES AND ON WHICH NUMBERS CAUSE ANY IDIOT KNOWS CHINA HIDE ITS DEBT THAT IS IN TRILLIONS.

[@Lara__]

He's a Russian asset. Always tries to destroy EU.

[@TheCornish123456]

Yep failed Greek politician who just talks a lot of rot and pops his head up to flog books.

[@MarKeMu125]

So you're saying it's his fault the Greek economy failed?

[@Lara__]

@@MarKeMu125 yes it is 100% his fault and his fault only. Greek economy is doing very well now and guess what? The recovery started the day he got booted out of politics.

[@Alex-pr6zv]

Doomsayer Varoufakis would love nothing more than to see the EU implode. His negativity is getting tedious.

[@BodyTrust]

His "great fear" is based on his lack of connection to the working class and our revolutionary instincts. Build the unions, Yanis!

[@michaelstuart777]

Everyone seems so smug about these prophesies of doom about Europe, the self-satisfied smiles and smirks from people leading enviable lives in the same Europe which they are trashing, are quite nauseating. That is what leads one to believe that these prophets of doom are not being honest with themselves. If they really believed in what they said their tone would be very different

[@mseeross]

You should distinguish the EU as an institution from its constituent countries. Each country has great and unique value, the EU has an entirely different value proposition

[@fassilgabremariam7849]

Excellent information by the guest

[@MrCMDTE]

The problem with a common bank is that each country is not having the same credit rating. Who will ultimately pay the debt if they already have big debts? Greece was a warning already of mismanagement that goverment were not up to the task of fixing the budget.

[@xtc2v]

So Yanis, ...... only countries that forever allow open borders are not xenophobic?

[@GloriaHoulihan]

Greece was absolutely broke in 2007. I remember driving across it and there were people selling themselves then. It was tragic.Adverts on traffic lights and phone boxes. Terrible 😔

[@kevinbyrne4538]

I'm not a fan of the EU but someone must believe that they're getting some benefit from it -- because they pay billions into it. As the Scottish economist Adam Smith said, "There's much ruin in a nation." (That is, a nation can survive many setbacks.)

[@alicianieto2822]

The nation yes, we survived wars and plagues, doesn't mean that as an individual I want to experience it

[@Ronnet]

Europe has been a battle ground for thousands of years. Then the EU and its predecessors came and we've had an historically long time of peace. Only broken by a country that is known for hating collaboration among European nations. The European project had been extremely successful on its core function; connecting European economies so that European nations have no incentive to go to war, in fact they are incentived to collaborate more fiercely which has seen many positive outcomes.

[@paratame105]

@@alicianieto2822 But why would a politician care about that?

[@e.m.7283]

Jesus not this guy again

[@elkpaz560]

What has Jesus got to do with it?

[@BaumerPaulGefreiter]

He is pro-Russian! Is it necessary to give space in media to such people?

[@willhall4037]

Always, it at least makes us think. Jaw jaw is better than...

[@26342]

you don't believe in free speech???, i thought thats a democratic value ..

[@SwatantraNandanwar]

We .at have to ask the russians to step in and save us again like they did at stalingrad.

[@tommymorrison6478]

In what way is he pro-Russian and why do you think he is?

[@sot11cat]

He is pro-Hamas. Being pro-russian is the least. He also is anti-democrat, anti-europe, anti-west, anti-american, anti-free market, anti-logic. And he is anti-greec in most aspects. And he is NOT POPULAR in Greece: he did not make in in the last two elections; he is irrelevant; why do you pay him any attention?

[@JosephKnecht-b5w]

if you can't see that we live in the 1930s you are sth more than blind. and you will pay for it.

[@cristiangaban960]

Russia will live in the 30s

[@corneliusantonius3108]

Yanis 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

[@joeldwest]

Says the doodoo who could pass freshman lit.

[@corneliusantonius3108]

@@joeldwest 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

[@s0ycapitan]

Well he's not a sinister chap is he. 😱

[@heycidskyja4668]

No, he's not at all.

[@s0ycapitan]

@@heycidskyja4668 "The EU could have used the Pandemic to create bonds". Classic problem, reaction, solution. Remember Covid was supposed to usher in "the great reset".

[@Clavers1369]

Yes, of course he is. He was a disaster for Greece.

[@robbiekop7]

And yet to this day George Soros says nothing........And nobody cares

[@Afficionadoh]

Greece did not bring much to the EU table Yanis. It is a limp-along economy. The EU is still the economic envy of the world.

[@Beach_comber]

Certainly not the economic envy of the USA!

[@zk1919]

6:10 From introduction of euro only two countries profited namely Germany and Netherlands so it is ridiculous that the Greek guy is sorry that there was not enough further centralisation.

[@zedtrek]

He is right. We are failing because the lack of federal powers.

[@pauljohngraham]

Even a broke economist can be right at least once in the economic cycle.

[@GaryTaylor-gp2qc]

The british again saw this well before anyone else , so we can at least be proud of our foresight , yes the wef and big business runs europe we all see this

[@JaywalkingTheWorld]

Yeah .... riiiiight. Greetings from Malta. We're very happy to be part of the EU.

[@TheAngelOfDeath01]

Yeah, NO. Not even Greece as a huge Financial Greek tragedy could break the EU.

[@TheSandkastenverbot]

This guy is like a one-hit wonder from the 90s who can't shut up

[@davidmrenton]

Yanis Varoufakis goes on about deindustrialisation but he supports things such as Net Zero and Green New Deal.That's why , Europe has given up on making anything

[@mydogsbutler]

Varoufakis is a dweeb but bet zero and green new deal are not to blame for Europes economic problems. China is going gangbusters with solar, batteries, EVs and other alternative energy tech. Europe's problem is a lack of focus on science and tech. A secondary problem is many Europeans tend to distrust big corporations which are absolutely necessary if one wants to compete on global stage due to economies of scale.

[@Mr.barba97]

What a clown 😂

[@joeldwest]

You think you're so hot? You couldn't hold a tiny fraction of the thought capacity of such a man. Integrity? He has it. Not right wingers Why don't you take on the Troika? Because you are their paid pet.

[@tomorrowneverdies567]

As a greek person, I can confirm. However, I notice that almost all politicians are clowns nowadays 😁

[@AdrianSams]

@@tomorrowneverdies567 This is true and I say this as a long suffering Bit. 🤣

[@WatermelonCat-yc4bq]

Are you Greek?

[@Mr.barba97]

@@WatermelonCat-yc4bq 🇮🇹

[@petardjordjevic3228]

The guy who almost finished Greece! The year he was in goverment all of my clients from Greece moved their HQ to Cyprus, Romania or Bulgaria. Big companies moved their HQ to Switzlerland, Luxembourg or the Netherlands.

[@tomorrowneverdies567]

I am greek, and definitely not a supporter of his. But I wonder why you believe he "finished Greece". You would see greek businesses relocating to Cyprus, Bulgaria or Romania also if aliens Turkey invaded Greece, or if a meteor hit Greece. But it would not be the fault of the greek finance minister then, would it? Or was it Varoufakis who (deliberately) indebted Greece, (deliberately) reduced its competitiveness with high taxation, too much public employees and their salaries (pyed by greek taxpayers and even worse the loans taken from french, british and german banks)? Varoufakis simply told the lenders of Greece "I do not accept to pay you 5% of Greece's GDP per year, because this means that GDP will decrease, Greece will become even poorer, population would reduce drastically, and so on". And they (after they co-created our debt with greek politicians, who belong to the same secret organization with them) told him "No". And he told them back : "No". So they stoped giving banknotes to greek banks. So greek banks then run out of cash, also because many people were afraid that they would lose their savings, because they were influenced by the "News Media" (so "reporters and journalists" who are also members of the same secret organization with the politicians), and went to withdraw a lot of money. So as you can see, you can disagree (and I personally disagree) very much with Mr. Varoufakis (as he is also a liar and a member of the exact same organization 😁). But you cannot debit him that he "finished Greece", based on my comment. I am 31 btw, and I have spent the last 10 years of my life trying to decipher whose fault is/was what in this story, and my comment is the conclusion I have arrived at. Personally, I do not care about any of these things, and I believe that final economic performance is not the product of the free economic activity of people, but it is regulated by this organization. If you don't believe me, wait until one of the countries in Europe or North America sees its fertility rate increasing for 3-4-6 years in a row, and see what "happens" to them😁 They will create another "economic" crisis to reduce it again. They do it to every country. Even countries like Sweden, Iceland, the UK, France, USA. Except Israel it seems. And at the same time "our economy needs more immigr. from Africa and Asia". Looks like they want this population replacement to happen!

[@delusion2987]

​@@tomorrowneverdies567 all developed nations experienced a decline in the birthrates after the baby boom while economic conditions drastically improved in the same timeframe. immigrants from high birth rate poor countries coming to low birth rate wealthy countries are experiencing fertility rate decline within 1-2 generations normalizing to that of the native population. broadly speaking, western economies do need more immigrants because their fertility rate is well below replacement. it is the demographic reality that these countries are faced with and not an insidious replacement plan. occam's razor.

[@tomorrowneverdies567]

@@delusion2987 could you please explain to me why western economies need immigrants? Why do you need immigrants once the fertility rate drops below 2.1 exactly? Iceland has 300k inhabitants. But it has higher GDP per capita than Germany, which has 84 million inhabitants. So my question to you is: why do you believe that population must be at least constant in time, for GDP and/or GDP per capita to also remain constant in time? My personal answer: you don't need it. Germany can simply lose population, while its GDP and GDP per capita could increase, due to other factors such as automation and other optimizations. Also, I never claimed that the replacement is "insidious".

[@delusion2987]

@@tomorrowneverdies567 the example you brought up is irrelevant to the conversation. it seems you have a fundamental misunderstanding about it. absolute population numbers have nothing to do with a demographics crisis. it's the ratio between young and old people that matters. the shape of the population pyramid. sure, the economy will keep going in a country filled with old people but for how long? look at Japan. zero immigration and very low birth rate. they have the oldest population on earth. they were once a strong economy at the height of the boomer generation's participation in the economy (70s-00s) but now their economy is stagnant and their debt is increasing. it is clearly not a sustainable situation. finally, i wrote "insidious" because i assume you believe the common conspiracy theory about the "great replacement". it is easy to think this when somebody writes "they want this to happen" and these sort of things about immigration.

[@paratame105]

@@tomorrowneverdies567 What is the motivation behind this replacement? Why do "they" want to replace the native population?

[@gumarobertson-xk9ob]

You canmot repeat thesame mistake and expect a different result.

[@David-f5u6v]

In a way the Greek people were never in the European empire because the ' people' never payed taxes to the government. But also, the Greek economy was working best when it had its own currency that was devalued appropriately to live in a low inflationary, tourist revenue based economy. Trust Frabce to fruck things up for the Greeks. The greatest irony is that the greeks had a wealthier culture before the union.

[@gabrielaXist]

Most Greeks, like most Southeast Europeans, are very, very bad at politics and economics. They are a politically immature society. More ruled by emotions and pride than reason or logic. Yanis is an exception.

[@Keltibarian]

Wrong, Budget Voldemort.

[@tomorrowneverdies567]

Why budget Voldemort?

[@nni9310]

Didn't Mr V try trickery in accounting for Greece's finances to the EU while he was finance minister of Greece during the 2008 crisis? Has Greece done well economically in the years since?

[@RealMash]

Better than before. They don't want to pay taxes, though, and some measures seem a bit harsh. But they spent like crazy before, and now have to atone for that. Just not the same people that wasted the money.

[@paratame105]

Yannis became Finance Minister in 2015 and wasn't involved in Greek politics before that. Who tf lied to you?!

[@allisterwhitehead]

I like Yanis. He is authentic. I disagree that the EU has failed as a whole. It was big ask to expect all of Europe to come together as a sort of USE with so much cultural diversity. The EU single market, however, is a triumph and one we will sorely miss. I don't understand the hate he get's here but then this is Times Radio and, well, err, bless.

[@eileenahern-ku9nx]

Keep talking Yanis. ❤ well done.

[@deanchristie3829]

The Great Financial Crisis exposed the folly of the individual European Governments. It lead to the European Sovereign Debt Crisis. Deficit spending is the largest misappropriation in economics. And Greece was the worst perpetrator in Europe. Germany setup the rules for the Euro Union; trying to hold other countries to some sort of fiscal discipline by limiting annual deficit spending to 3 per cent the countries' GDP. Greece ignored this limit and went off-book until they couldn't make the interest payments. Interesting that this Greek politician is complaining about the Euro Union setup. The European Soveriegn Debt Crisis was ,or should have been, a wake up call. But the politicians papered it over (and put it off until later). Somebody has to payback the deficit (debt). Would you like to start now, or would rather do it later (when the cost will be higher)?

[@BV-co7hy]

Goodbye Yanis marxisfakis 😮🤥

[@johnlJjjjj-wi7ek]

Triple quadriple utilities and gas,long live Capitalism clever boy

[@cristiangaban960]

@@johnlJjjjj-wi7ek What good are cheap utilities when you don't have a life ?'' John '' boy

[@noggogo6932]

The whole EU is a communist construct, who mean to erase all european heritage and create a banker's paradise on earth,

[@MarKeMu125]

​@@cristiangaban960 who's proposing that? Unless you're a multimillionaire there's no chance you'll be restricted from what you have now? They want to increase public transport and more public services, like Clement Attlee did to help the 1950's boom, but that's adding options not limiting them?

[@dlawrence3187]

He says the pandemic was an opportunity to create a socialist regime. That’s all you need to hear.

[@digitaldemocracyai-rob]

He didn't say that. He said we need to create European Treasury bonds

[@colbr6733]

For the first time since I first came in 1992 I saw beggars in the small German market town Kleve this week. Not foreigners but Germans, young and old. I hate to say it, but he might be right.

[@dsmith5940]

Give Yanis the British job. All of them. He’s more articulate, insightful and convincing in his critiques - might not have the answers, but at least he has some questions

[@B3ruk1]

How long has this guy been repeating the same tape?

[@digitaldemocracyai-rob]

Doesn't make it not true

[@VaucluseVanguard]

Yes, we know.

[@galileo_rs]

He finally figured it out after a decade of his reform the EU BS.

[@tlckiegowoscbiznesinieruch5351]

he is a lunatic

[@tomorrowneverdies567]

He's a liar. Not a lunatic. Greetings from Greece. 😁

[@timhandley7408]

What about the fact that the EU delivered the highest living standards and protections in 100 years

[@mirlabov]

Europe undergoing a cardiac arrest,needs intensive care process (ICU resuscitation

[@66ralphy]

He agrees with Baroness Thatcher!!. A monetary union will never work.

[@stefmunky]

This guy projects so much he could start a cinema. His book "Adults in the room" was a basically a rant on "everyone is to blame but me"

[@chimpskij]

Way to demonstrate his point that there are grown ups with the mental capacity of a child everywhere. There is no projection, there are substantive arguments that you are unable to answer and probably even to comprehend.

[@paratame105]

Since you've read the book, what did Yani do wrong during his time as finance minister, in your opinion?

[@chimpskij]

@@paratame105 I'd suggest a better approach to discussion is for you to put forth any point you might have.

[@paratame105]

@@chimpskij I'm not arguing my point, I'm arguing @stefmunky 's point. He claims Varoufakis is just pointing fingers, in my opinion insinuating that he's actually at fault himself. I would like him to explain where he finds the blame in Varoufakis actions during his time with Syriza. Because I struggle to find it.

[@chimpskij]

@@paratame105 Ok, apologies, I thought your question was directed to me.

[@Siranoxz]

Not sure about that Yanis 🤷‍♂🤷‍♂

[@econrith]

As long as Germany remember that the EURO is really the Deutetch march and it understands what the MMT movement is saying all will be well if austerity is not used.

[@ΗλίαςΠαπαδάτος-χ3ξ]

Left wing greek Farage

[@AdrianSams]

Why do you dislike Farage?. He seems to have more integrity than the rest.

[@73elephants]

I'm not sure what you mean by that. What's he done that makes him similar to Farage?

[@ΗλίαςΠαπαδάτος-χ3ξ]

@@73elephants, he tried to get Greece out of the EU, when he was Finance Minister

[@73elephants]

@@ΗλίαςΠαπαδάτος-χ3ξ I can see why you would object to that, but he was probably right. To give up your powers as a nation is to lose independence, and then be at the mercy of people who, very likely, do not have your country's interests at the forefront of their mind.

[@prenumenume7498]

@@ΗλίαςΠαπαδάτος-χ3ξ So basically in the opposite poll than Farage in terms of political view and he did gaslight his nation to do something that they later regreted. Otherwise yes. He is like Farage.

[@VJ-lt9uk]

This guys is a real life Bond villain.

[@tommymorrison6478]

Don't be silly.

[@RealMash]

@@tommymorrison6478 Don't be silly...Bond villains have style..yeah, the motorcycle ..good looking girls..his wife is a looker, though..they want to get the money they don't own, well...they want to destroy the world..damit, you are right!

[@terencefield3204]

It’s all Greek to me

[@JS-kv7mx]

Mate, who do you think you are? It is always someone else’s fault. Stop writing books and get yourself a productive job.

[@austinbourke9292]

Yanis you have been telling us that for 16 years yet they continue to wreck havoc on their countries of influence

[@joeldwest]

Love love love you Yani. Yanis for world President. Please never stop.

[@DoubtingTom]

why the f..k have you interviewed him?

[@AliHassan-hb1bn]

It is expired and is gone.

[@PaulK-ve1pu]

Maastricht meant the end. "Ever closer union" will be on the EU's gravestone. A laudable notion, a Europe without borders, with one economy, one military and one political leadership. Never even slightly workable. Europe is too old, too diverse and too fractious to make it work.

[@latchmere100]

Why is this no mark in our country?? Who gives a damn what he thinks. He has failed at everything he does. Go away. You are not wanted and not listened to.

[@churblefurbles]

A common policy requires a common people.

[@davethompson3326]

Didn't he used to be informed and relevant?

[@vincentvandenberg4532]

Where are all those wars and where is all that virulent political instability in the EU countries? People on top milking the system is business as usual, no news at all. So …Thank you Yannis for your analysis, to my own Analysis the glass is still more than half full, which isn’t too bad at all for average EU country’s citizens.

[@SimonBrady-i1k]

Read his book “Adults in the room”. In it he describes the bullying tactics of the eu and how it broke its own “set in stone “ laws to save the euro. This guy understands economics. Sadly he comes from a smalll eu member state which is largely ignored.

[@bigglesharrumpher4139]

And yet the EU is still here. Looks like failure takes a long time to become reality....

[@dannysullivan3951]

Beware of apocalyptic warnings. The end is near. Ish.

[@ArianeQube]

He would want a Soviet Europe with statues of Lenin to be happy :))

[@zippymufo9765]

This guy changes his viewpoint every week 😂

[@davey64]

Because if I'm taking advice from anyone it's going to be the guy who was in charge of the economy of Greece.

[@BooleanDisorder]

I didn't think this until they started putting forward Chat Control 2.0

[@bobdeverell]

Yanis bring up a good point about the lack of wealth creation in the Labour and Conservative manifestos However he seems to hold a belief that Reform equates to racism. I don't see evidence for this and the UK has a long tradition of accepting immigrants. Farage himself can hardly be described as racist. What he and Reform propose is a halt to unfettered immigration to allow society to assimilate existing immigrants. ie for housing and medical services etrc to be properly provisioned.

[@IftikharAhmad-c8p]

Good

[@thatisme3thatisme38]

Well greece is finished even more so decades ago but it still continues on..

[@FunnyBunny-pd5xx]

@@thatisme3thatisme38 Please could you list FACTS to support your claim ? Thank You.

[@zarni000]

@@FunnyBunny-pd5xx like what facts that he was part of the government of greece that actually brought about the failure. then again he became head of the government presenting himself as a solution to the problem he was part in creating. just look at history

[@FunnyBunny-pd5xx]

@@zarni000 Thank You.

[@donalobrien7582]

WHEN Prof.Varoufakis Speaks, People should Listen a Gentleman that has for many Years warned about the Autocratic Bureaucratic Dictatorship Administration in Brussels/Strasbourg=BERLIN.

[@dral9971]

Always as categorical and dramatic. No, Europe is not finished. It has a difficult and unhappy childhood, and has some issues to process and confront. This project began in the first century and although attempts have been made to thwart it - by competing churches, by Muslim rulers, by emperors, tsars, by nationalists and communists, we must work to row the project ashore. It is a peace project, a freedom project, a welfare project and we will succeed - the alternative would be appalling.

[@tonymitchell1461]

Good analogy Yanis makes between the rise of the far right in Europe today and what happened in the late 20's and early 30's. The centre right opens the door for the far right.

[@DavidMax-i8s]

You've been saying this for a very long time. He has not been correct so far!!

[@Gnosticware]

Just as the Marshall plan and post WWII cooperation was a step to the EU, the EU is a step to a Republic of Europe, or United States of Europe. The EU is a confederacy, and as such is working very well. Britain has learned the economic cost of leaving the EU, so it's a success. If Europe wants to be more successful the way he means, it needs to become a Republic like the US. As an American I have no idea how Europeans feel about losing their essential sovereignty in this move, for example they will all close their Washington Embassy's to a single USE or Federal Europe embassy, but they'll definitely become a stronger and more effective, domestically and internationally.

[@jonphoenix]

"As an American I have no idea how Europeans feel about losing their essential sovereignty in this move" ... it would be a mixed picture. I guess the equivalent would be asking people in the US how they feel about pooling sovereignty with e.g., Mexico and Canada in order to become 'stronger'.

[@Gnosticware]

@@jonphoenix I get your point but the example doesn't make any sense as we're already a Republic, adding those would just give us 52 states, with Mexico being a big problem for us to tame (if the example is dissolving the US to form a new Republic we would still be the dominant player by far). And Europe isn't North America, where we've generally lived peaceably together after settling initial disputes. Europe has fought itself thousands of years. I understand people in Normandy still have deep rooted feelings about the British, for example. Does this still all matter? That's what I'm wondering ...

[@crosstraffic187]

@@Gnosticware Europeans have already given up a lot of their state sovereignty, without much problem. After all, that was the purpose of the EU, which we all knew before we joined. The real problem, I think is that having a common currency, we have given up our monetary sovereignty, and unlike the US who do have monetary sovereignty and can print their way out of a lot of problems, we were forced into constant austerity. The EU central bank would have to act like the Fed which member states, like Germany and The Netherlands for example didn't want them to do during the financial crisis. During the pandemic, money was made available, but was not invested into the European economy. That's why YV talks about a political union, as this would solve the problem of using the European treasury to fund things like the Green New deal or any other projects it's citizens might want. One thing I know is certain. A lot of the right wing votes are protest votes against those very austerity policies that right wing politicians advocate. And this is not going to work and will not go away. They can blame migrants, but only for a while.

[@Gnosticware]

@@crosstraffic187 Thanks good answer. However on US central bank vs the EU, post Gold standard all currencies are 'printed' - the US isn't unique. What is different is that the US has such a deep and liquid bond market that it has near infinite borrowing capacity. Also, it can print without consequences (e.g. hyperinflation as is seen in South America). The EU also is a reserve currency, in theory it can do the same thing but it doesn't have the borrowing capability or economic strength and breadth to support it. Which is fine, it's young still, give it time, and ideally a move into the 'US of Europe' or RE/Republic of Europe, and I don't doubt it will have that capability too.

[@goodgood9955]

So we should all go for a Marxist economy, hey Yani?

[@philmitchell91]

Well yeah, and with no apology. Don't tell me you're happy living in an unequal war mongering society lol