3 Jul 2015

Yanis Varoufakis: We have a duty to the people

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis tells Paul Mason that Syriza would stay in government, even if Greece votes in favour of the debt deal on offer from its creditors.

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has revealed to our Economics Editor Paul Mason that Syriza has been offered a debt deal they would sign – but he will not say what it is.

“Ever since declared a referendum and incensed our European partners we had the most interesting proposals coming from Brussels,” Mr Varoufakis told Channel 4 News.

“Perhaps this referendum and impasse that it represents concentrated several minds in Brussels and we’ve had some really good proposals – you know, proposals that we would sign on the dotted line for.”

But when asked where it was, he said: “I’m not going to tell you. It’s somewhere in this building.

“The crucial part of the story is that before this proposal becomes a genuine negotiating document which we can sign off on Monday, the Greek people have to empower us with a no.”

When asked whether some government ministers were feeling the pressure and may not want to stay in post for much longer, he suggested Syriza would not resign, even if Greece voted in favour of the current deal on offer from creditors.

“We are campaigning for no,” he said. “If we get the no we have bargaining power to effect a much better deal than one that was offered on the 25th.

“If a yes wins, as committed democrats we have a duty to the people to make sure that the deal we didn’t like, that we don’t think is viable, but which nevertheless the deal that the people want, is going to go through parliament.”