Varoufakis claims that the innermost circle of the Greek PM owns shares of vulture funds connected with the non-performing loans of Greek banks
A fierce denunciation that could trigger a political earthquake was made by Yianis Varoufakis (the former Greek minister of finance under SYRIZA government, and current leader of DIEM 25), who, during a live broadcast of a TV Channel of Thessaly-Greece, revealed that the innermost circle of Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ family owns shares in funds that buy non-performing loans from Greek banks.
As he said (emphasis added):
The most important – and this demonstrates the government’s criminal negligence- is a law that was passed in December, called ‘Hercules’, which entitles the funds that buy people’s non-performing loans, if they do not receive the money that borrowers owe them for three consecutive months, to ask Mr. Mitsotakis and Mr. Staikouras for €12 billion, which the State certainly does not have.
You know where the State will find the money: It will borrow it from the Troika to give it to the funds. Good grief! At such times, the Greek government is borrowing €12 billion and, instead of investing in the national health system, supporting farmers and stockbreeders or helping construction workers and lawyers, it will actually borrow the money from the ESM to give it to the Delaware and New Jersey funds, in which the innermost circle of the Mitsotakis family owns shares, of course. I’m sorry to say this, but I have to. It may sound tough, but it is true though.
A legislative decree must be passed immediately to "freeze" the "Hercules" law, Mr. Mitsotakis. Otherwise, you will be under suspicion. [...] Why should we support these funds with new public debt?
It's an astonishing revelation by Varoufakis because if it's true, it would mean that the current Greek government designed the "Hercules" bill exclusively to protect the interests of the vulture funds that will buy the non-performing loans from the Greek banks.
Under current coronavirus crisis, it is almost certain that even the consistent borrowers won't be able to continue to payback their loans, for the next at least three months. And therefore, it is almost certain that the Greek government will have to borrow 12 billion - meaning increase the national debt of an already bankrupt country - in order to give the money to the vulture funds!
Under current coronavirus crisis, it is almost certain that even the consistent borrowers won't be able to continue to payback their loans, for the next at least three months. And therefore, it is almost certain that the Greek government will have to borrow 12 billion - meaning increase the national debt of an already bankrupt country - in order to give the money to the vulture funds!
However, no one can blame the borrowers this time. Because this is a health, global crisis, which severely hits all the economies. So, Mitsotakis administration could and should freeze the "Hercules" bill to save the already ruined Greek economy from an additional 12 billion debt. If it doesn't do it immediately, it will mean that Varoufakis is right and that we have to deal with a major conflict-of-interest scandal at the heart of the Greek government.
Recall that, the Greek voters gave a clear victory to the conservative right party, New Democracy, one of the traditional powers of the old political system, which are highly responsible for the Greek crisis that erupted in 2010.
Several top names of the new government, and even New Democracy leader, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, have been accused of being involved in various corruption scandals, in the not so distant past.
Several top names of the new government, and even New Democracy leader, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, have been accused of being involved in various corruption scandals, in the not so distant past.
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