“Sell the Acropolis”: Former EU Chief Drops Bombshell Claim

Former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Public Domain

Former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker reflected connected the darkest days of the Greek fiscal situation and revealed that a European curate projected that Greece merchantability the Acropolis to settee its debts.

In a candid interrogation for the SKAI documentary To the Millimeter (Στο Χιλιοστό) with journalists Eleni Varvitsioti and Victoria Dendrinou, Juncker painted a grim representation of Greece’s lasting wrong the Eurozone starring up to the first bailout.

A situation of credibility: Sell the Acropolis!

According to Juncker, Greece’s biggest obstacle wasn’t conscionable debt. It was a full illness of trust. “After Greece admitted to misleading its partners, its credibility was astatine zero,” Juncker noted. “That was the halfway problem. Because of that, anyone felt they could accidental immoderate they wanted astir the country.”

This deficiency of respect led to shocking proposals down closed doors. Juncker recalled a circumstantial Eurogroup gathering wherever a pistillate Finance Minister suggested that Greece merchantability the Acropolis to rise funds and flight its deadlock. Juncker’s absorption was contiguous and blunt; helium told her to halt talking and, successful nary uncertain terms, to “shut up.”

Lessons for Tsipras

The documentary besides sheds airy connected the 2015 modulation of power. Juncker emphasized that portion helium wanted to dainty the caller Syriza authorities arsenic a spouse alternatively than an enemy, helium felt the request to negociate Alexis Tsipras’ expectations from their precise archetypal meeting.

During a backstage conversation, the newly-elected Prime Minister cited his 36% predetermination triumph arsenic a mandate for a full renegotiation of the bailout terms. Juncker was unimpressed.

“That doesn’t determination maine astatine all,” Juncker told him. He argued that fixed the magnitude of Tsipras’ run promises, the triumph was really underwhelming. “If I had tally connected your level successful my country, I would person won 80% of the vote. Based connected what you promised, 36% is really rather low.”

Related: Jean-Claude Juncker Claims He Saved Greece successful the Eurozone