The five-month tenure of Greece's pugnacious former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, who notably accused the country's creditors of "terrorism", was marked by his outspokenness and refusal to submit to convention.
Stepping down on Monday, a day after the 'No' referendum, the flamboyant Varoufakis launched a parting shot saying: "Soon after the announcement of the referendum results, I was made aware of a certain preference by some Eurogroup participants, and assorted 'partners', for my… 'absence' from its meetings...I shall wear the creditors' loathing with pride."
Announcing his changed status on Twitter, he proclaimed: "Minister no more!"
Here are some other memorable quotes from Varoufakis in the last few months of the Greek debt crisis, which could see the country exit the eurozone.
-- January 26 --
"Greece is absolutely, irreversibly, committed to staying in the eurozone," he tells CNN. "The problem is that once you're in, it goes just like the Eagle's song 'Hotel California' - you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."
-- January 29 --
"We favour a frugal life with dignity. Growth is not Porsche and Cayenne in the narrow Greek streets...We are determined to change the logic that led to the economic crisis."
"We will cut expenses of Finance Ministry in order to re-hire the cleaning ladies" sacked by the previous government," he tells journalists in Athens addressing his first press conference.
-- February 5 --
"From my point of view we didn't even agree on the fact that we disagree." Speaking in Berlin after talks with German counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble.
-- February 8 -
"Greece's exit from the euro is not something that is part of our plans, simply because we believe it is like building a house of cards. If you take out the Greek card, the others will collapse." To Italian public broadcaster RAI.
-- February 11 --
"Wolfgang Schaeuble is probably the only European politician with intellectual substance," the motorcycle-riding economics professor tells the Stern weekly about the German finance minister.
"He's a convinced European and a deeply rooted federalist."
-- February 25 --
"This is what I tell my counterparts: if you think it's in your interest to beat progressive governments like ours .... then brace yourselves for the worst." To French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
-- February 27 --
"We are proud of the level of (its) imprecision." Referring to the reform proposals from Greece's European partners.
-- March 15 --
"It's an honour that Bild is trying to annoy me. The more they do it, the better I sleep at night." To Greece's ANA news agency after the German tabloid announced his imminent resignation from the government.
-- March 15 --
"Little insignificant liquidity problems should not divide Europe." In a talk show to German channel ARD.
-- April 26 --
"'They are unanimous in their hate for me; and I welcome their hatred.' A quotation close to my heart (& reality) these days," he said on Twitter, borrowing a quote from US president Franklin D. Roosevelt in a 1936 speech.
-- May 26 --
"It's about time the institutions, in particular the IMF, get their act together, and come to an agreement with us."
"It's about time they come to the table and meet us, not half the way, but one quarter of the way, we have already met them three quarters of the way." To CNN.
-- July 3 --
"This is not the way to run a monetary union. This is a travesty. It's a comedy of errors for five years now, Europe has been extending and pretending." In a BBC interview.
-- July 4 --
"What they're doing with Greece has a name -- terrorism," Varoufakis told Spanish daily El Mundo.
"What Brussels and the troika want today is for the 'yes' (vote) to win so they could humiliate the Greeks. Why did they force us to close the banks? To instill fear in people. And spreading fear is called terrorism."
-- July 6 --
"I shall wear the creditors' loathing with pride."
The five-month tenure of Greece’s pugnacious former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, who notably accused the country’s creditors of “terrorism”, was marked by his outspokenness and refusal to submit to convention.
Stepping down on Monday, a day after the ‘No’ referendum, the flamboyant Varoufakis launched a parting shot saying: “Soon after the announcement of the referendum results, I was made aware of a certain preference by some Eurogroup participants, and assorted ‘partners’, for my… ‘absence’ from its meetings…I shall wear the creditors’ loathing with pride.”
Announcing his changed status on Twitter, he proclaimed: “Minister no more!”
Here are some other memorable quotes from Varoufakis in the last few months of the Greek debt crisis, which could see the country exit the eurozone.
— January 26 —
“Greece is absolutely, irreversibly, committed to staying in the eurozone,” he tells CNN. “The problem is that once you’re in, it goes just like the Eagle’s song ‘Hotel California’ – you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.”
— January 29 —
“We favour a frugal life with dignity. Growth is not Porsche and Cayenne in the narrow Greek streets…We are determined to change the logic that led to the economic crisis.”
“We will cut expenses of Finance Ministry in order to re-hire the cleaning ladies” sacked by the previous government,” he tells journalists in Athens addressing his first press conference.
— February 5 —
“From my point of view we didn’t even agree on the fact that we disagree.” Speaking in Berlin after talks with German counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble.
— February 8 –
“Greece’s exit from the euro is not something that is part of our plans, simply because we believe it is like building a house of cards. If you take out the Greek card, the others will collapse.” To Italian public broadcaster RAI.
— February 11 —
“Wolfgang Schaeuble is probably the only European politician with intellectual substance,” the motorcycle-riding economics professor tells the Stern weekly about the German finance minister.
“He’s a convinced European and a deeply rooted federalist.”
— February 25 —
“This is what I tell my counterparts: if you think it’s in your interest to beat progressive governments like ours …. then brace yourselves for the worst.” To French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
— February 27 —
“We are proud of the level of (its) imprecision.” Referring to the reform proposals from Greece’s European partners.
— March 15 —
“It’s an honour that Bild is trying to annoy me. The more they do it, the better I sleep at night.” To Greece’s ANA news agency after the German tabloid announced his imminent resignation from the government.
— March 15 —
“Little insignificant liquidity problems should not divide Europe.” In a talk show to German channel ARD.
— April 26 —
“‘They are unanimous in their hate for me; and I welcome their hatred.’ A quotation close to my heart (& reality) these days,” he said on Twitter, borrowing a quote from US president Franklin D. Roosevelt in a 1936 speech.
— May 26 —
“It’s about time the institutions, in particular the IMF, get their act together, and come to an agreement with us.”
“It’s about time they come to the table and meet us, not half the way, but one quarter of the way, we have already met them three quarters of the way.” To CNN.
— July 3 —
“This is not the way to run a monetary union. This is a travesty. It’s a comedy of errors for five years now, Europe has been extending and pretending.” In a BBC interview.
— July 4 —
“What they’re doing with Greece has a name — terrorism,” Varoufakis told Spanish daily El Mundo.
“What Brussels and the troika want today is for the ‘yes’ (vote) to win so they could humiliate the Greeks. Why did they force us to close the banks? To instill fear in people. And spreading fear is called terrorism.”
— July 6 —
“I shall wear the creditors’ loathing with pride.”
