bigglesworth

There was an article in one of the papers in the last few days quoting Donald Tusk's comment that Poland would not join the Euro until they were no longer in receipt of EU funds.
So I think the capitulation and loss of sovereignty by Greece has been recognised. I wonder what Portrugal makes of that?

GeniB

Greece never signed up to the Westphalian treaty on sovereignty in 1643 so doesn't have one to lose..Neither did the UK

bigglesworth

Was England involved in the Thirty Years War? And Greece presumably was part of the Ottoman Empire.

Garbatellamike

Varoufakis isn't stupid of that we can be sure -the question everyone is asking is: is he insane or pretending to be insane to help his game theory - no one seems sure either way

Red Eric

You think he's insane?

OK - he made a prediction that in his opinion a deal by 20th August is unlikely. What do you think of that?

And he's stated several times that Schauble (still) wants Greece out of the EZ (in order to put the frighteners on France) - how about that?

What about this fund of 50bn of Greek assets - do you think it's a realistic target for Greece to achieve and how much state infrastructure will they have to privatise to get there if it is?

What do you reckon might happen in the future - do you see it as possible that Greece might fail a review due to some whim of the Troika (or just due to the fact that all of the targets will quite simply be impossible to meet) and, as a result, be forced out of the EZ after having been stripped of these Treuhand assets? And that, of course, would be an entirely sane course of action?

I can see how irritating he is to some for the inconvenient truth he speaks but insane? - do me a favour.

InVinoVeritas

IMHO he is very intelligent but also quite mad. Not such an unusual combination but always a bit worrying in a leader and I am quite sure that if Greece had left the Euro then he would have wanted Tsipras' job.

Maybe1day

bigglesworth

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4c7b7f2c-3...siteedition=uk

Just which bit of "Can't Pay, Won't Pay" do those robots in Brussels not get?

Garbatellamike

I am not sure. He is erratic and unpredictable, and is also an inveterate liar so it is difficult to tell hence I asked the question.

Red Eric

As you weren't able to understand his very clear commitment to resign from the position of Minister of Finance whilst remaining as a backbench MP if the referendum vote went against the government recommendation, without twisting it every which way, I don't accept your judgement on this matter.

InVinoVeritas

Well it was never put to the test since he was removed as FinMin by Tsipras before the referendum and only after Varoufakis had briefed the Daily Telegraph that Greece might introduce a parallel currency.

Maybe1day

We don't watch the Greek or UK media but it was not put over like that on Italian and Spanish Media, For them immediately, it was a resignation not a sacking, How it was twisted later has many variations depending on POV. I don't give a monkey's, It will all go the same way in the next 18 months anyway. I feel sorry for their Euro death throes.

Garbatellamike

That's is your right Eric - some truths are inconvenient and best ignored eh?

being sacked is now known as a clear commitment - didn't know that, thanks for the education....

Red Eric

Nope - there you go again.
He was indeed made to resign but the clear commitment was about resigning from being FM in the case of a "Yes" vote, which didn't happen. You were twisting that about.

Garbatellamike

there is twisting going on for sure

he was sacked mate no matter how you try and turn the contemptible incompetent into a genius by rewriting history - he was inept, obnoxious and incompetent and got fired......