With the deadlock in the negotiations being prolonged and Greece’s partners appearing to be inflexible, there are reasonable grounds to assume that there is a political group within the European Union that is openly pursuing a ‘Grexit’.
Political and banking players who are in touch with a wide range of participants in the negotiations do not hide the fact that the German Minister of Finances Wolfgang Schäuble is one of them. The German Minister openly supports the belief that a possible departure of Greece from the Eurozone will not only not have serious consequences for the single currently, but, on the contrary, it will further strengthen it, as it encourages the federalization process of the Eurozone.
The sources add that the German Finance Minister believes that the shock of a potential Greek collapse will highlight to the other European governments the need for a compromise between the benefits of coordinating fiscal policy and the ceding of powers it necessitates.
According to Schäuble, in the past few months Greece has demonstrated that it is not the position to follow his European federalization goal, which essentially hinders such plans. Furthermore, with Greece being dependent on funding from Europe, it is perhaps more prudent to leave the Eurozone.
For months there have been many warnings that Athens’ delaying games will only support those who have flirted with a Grexit since 2012. Now that they are stronger they will do all that they can so that they can force a Greek default and a subsequent departure from the single currency zone.
In essence, with its stance, the Greek government benefited the plans of those who treat our country like a special case, as an “exotic” country which cannot endure the rules of a necessarily strict monetary union. Now we have reached zero hour and the pressure is mounting from this team that wants Greece outside of the Eurozone.
The question posed is whether Mr. Tsipras can endure the pressure and is prepared to lift this unreasonable burden in order to keep our country in the Eurozone. The challenge is unprecedented, but he has no excuse. He had been warned from many sides.
Antonis Karakousis
