Teh One Who Knocks
07-06-2015, 10:29 AM
FOX News and The Associated Press
http://i.imgur.com/uFyDBD4.jpg
Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis resigned from his post Monday after Greek citizens voted to reject further austerity measures the day prior, the Associated Press reported.
Varoufakis said he was told shortly after the voters rejected Sunday's referendum regarding demands by international creditors to impose further austerity measures in exchange for a bailout package for its bankrupt economy, that the other eurozone finance ministers and Greece's other creditors would prefer he not attend the ministers' meetings.
Varoufakis issued an announcement saying Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had judged that Varoufakis' resignation "might help achieve a deal" and that he was leaving the finance ministry for this reason Monday.
Varoufakis is known for his brash style and fondness for frequent media appearances at the start of his tenure when the new government was formed in January. He had visibly annoyed many of the eurozone's finance ministers during Greece's debt negotiations.
"Soon after the announcement of the referendum results, I was made aware of a certain preference by some Eurogroup participants... for my ‘absence’ from its meetings; an idea that the prime minister judged to be potentially helpful to him in reaching an agreement."
"For this reason I am leaving the Ministry of Finance today," Varoufakis wrote in a blog post, according to The Guardian.
“Like all struggles for democratic rights, so too this historic rejection of the Eurogroup’s 25th June ultimatum comes with a large price tag attached,” the post read, according to the Athenian newspaper Kathmerini.
“It is, therefore, essential that the great capital bestowed upon our government by the splendid NO vote be invested immediately into a YES to a proper resolution – to an agreement that involves debt restructuring, less austerity, redistribution in favour of the needy, and real reforms,” Varoufakis wrote.
He said the prime minister had judged it "potentially helpful to him" if he is absent from the upcoming meetings with Greece's creditors.
"I shall wear the creditors' loathing with pride," he said, adding that he fully supports the prime minister and the government.
Varoufakis had called the voters' rejection of the proposal a "brave" move, Sky News reported.
The referendum "will stay in history as a unique moment when a small European nation rose up against debt-bondage," Varoufakis said.
With his brash style and fondness for frequent media appearances at the start of his tenure at the ministry when the new government was formed in January, Varoufakis had visibly annoyed many of the eurozone's finance ministers during Greece's debt negotiations.
Government spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis said in a statement that a replacement for Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, who resigned Monday, would be announced later in the day after a meeting of political party leaders.
Sakellaridis said Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras "feels the need to thank (Varoufakis) for his ceaseless efforts to promote the government's positions and the interests of the Greek people, under very difficult conditions."
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was elected on promises to repeal the austerity demanded in return for a bailout from other eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund, and negotiations broke down late last month after dragging on unsuccessfully for five months.
With his hight-stakes gamble to call a referendum on creditor proposals with just a week's notice, Tsipras aimed to show creditors that Greeks, whose economy has been shattered and who face spiralling unemployment and poverty, have had enough and that the austerity prescribed isn't working.
At one Athens bank, an employee faced a crowd of elderly Greeks as he tried to distribute tag queue positions to eto enter into the bank to withdraw a maximum of 120 euros ($134) for the week, the Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, a prominent lawmaker with one of Germany's governing parties says he doubts that the departure of Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis will make talks on Greece's financial future easier.
Carsten Schneider of the center-left Social Democrats told ZDF television that the resignation is "not so important" and what matters is what policies the Greek government wants to pursue, the Associated Press reported.
Varoufakis, who had annoyed many of his fellow eurozone finance ministers, said he was told that some ministers and other creditors would prefer that he not attend the ministers' meetings.
Schneider said that Varoufakis "can't keep his promises and is drawing the consequences by fleeing." He added that a new minister might create a little more trust, but what is needed is Greek willingness to accept reforms and stabilize the country.
http://i.imgur.com/uFyDBD4.jpg
Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis resigned from his post Monday after Greek citizens voted to reject further austerity measures the day prior, the Associated Press reported.
Varoufakis said he was told shortly after the voters rejected Sunday's referendum regarding demands by international creditors to impose further austerity measures in exchange for a bailout package for its bankrupt economy, that the other eurozone finance ministers and Greece's other creditors would prefer he not attend the ministers' meetings.
Varoufakis issued an announcement saying Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had judged that Varoufakis' resignation "might help achieve a deal" and that he was leaving the finance ministry for this reason Monday.
Varoufakis is known for his brash style and fondness for frequent media appearances at the start of his tenure when the new government was formed in January. He had visibly annoyed many of the eurozone's finance ministers during Greece's debt negotiations.
"Soon after the announcement of the referendum results, I was made aware of a certain preference by some Eurogroup participants... for my ‘absence’ from its meetings; an idea that the prime minister judged to be potentially helpful to him in reaching an agreement."
"For this reason I am leaving the Ministry of Finance today," Varoufakis wrote in a blog post, according to The Guardian.
“Like all struggles for democratic rights, so too this historic rejection of the Eurogroup’s 25th June ultimatum comes with a large price tag attached,” the post read, according to the Athenian newspaper Kathmerini.
“It is, therefore, essential that the great capital bestowed upon our government by the splendid NO vote be invested immediately into a YES to a proper resolution – to an agreement that involves debt restructuring, less austerity, redistribution in favour of the needy, and real reforms,” Varoufakis wrote.
He said the prime minister had judged it "potentially helpful to him" if he is absent from the upcoming meetings with Greece's creditors.
"I shall wear the creditors' loathing with pride," he said, adding that he fully supports the prime minister and the government.
Varoufakis had called the voters' rejection of the proposal a "brave" move, Sky News reported.
The referendum "will stay in history as a unique moment when a small European nation rose up against debt-bondage," Varoufakis said.
With his brash style and fondness for frequent media appearances at the start of his tenure at the ministry when the new government was formed in January, Varoufakis had visibly annoyed many of the eurozone's finance ministers during Greece's debt negotiations.
Government spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis said in a statement that a replacement for Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, who resigned Monday, would be announced later in the day after a meeting of political party leaders.
Sakellaridis said Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras "feels the need to thank (Varoufakis) for his ceaseless efforts to promote the government's positions and the interests of the Greek people, under very difficult conditions."
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was elected on promises to repeal the austerity demanded in return for a bailout from other eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund, and negotiations broke down late last month after dragging on unsuccessfully for five months.
With his hight-stakes gamble to call a referendum on creditor proposals with just a week's notice, Tsipras aimed to show creditors that Greeks, whose economy has been shattered and who face spiralling unemployment and poverty, have had enough and that the austerity prescribed isn't working.
At one Athens bank, an employee faced a crowd of elderly Greeks as he tried to distribute tag queue positions to eto enter into the bank to withdraw a maximum of 120 euros ($134) for the week, the Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, a prominent lawmaker with one of Germany's governing parties says he doubts that the departure of Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis will make talks on Greece's financial future easier.
Carsten Schneider of the center-left Social Democrats told ZDF television that the resignation is "not so important" and what matters is what policies the Greek government wants to pursue, the Associated Press reported.
Varoufakis, who had annoyed many of his fellow eurozone finance ministers, said he was told that some ministers and other creditors would prefer that he not attend the ministers' meetings.
Schneider said that Varoufakis "can't keep his promises and is drawing the consequences by fleeing." He added that a new minister might create a little more trust, but what is needed is Greek willingness to accept reforms and stabilize the country.