Greece & EUROLEAKS - A Brief Summary:
In 2015, Varoufakis was the chief negotiator for then-ruling Syriza party, dealing with the Eurogroup and those behind it - the so-called 'troika.' It comprises the three main lenders of the eurozone nations - the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
While the Eurogroup is de-jure an informal group, it is actually a powerful decision-making institute that lacks accountability and transparency - and does not keep any records. The main goal in releasing the recordings is to shed light on its secretive activities, Varoufakis said in a video announcing the Euroleaks. "The Eurogroup's three does not keep minutes, the European Union Council is still shrouded in total opacity. It's about time we change that."
The lenders took a tough, 'take it or leave it' stance on Greece, effectively presenting it with an ultimatum. At the same time, they blamed Greek negotiators for stalled talks - and no records were available to prove them wrong.
"You will hear the [then-]president of the Eurogroup [Jeroen Dijsselbloem] and other ministers warn me that if I dare table written proposals within the Eurogroup meetings, that would be the end of the negotiations. At the very same time they were leaking to the press that I was arriving at Eurogroup meetings without any proposals."
Apart from bringing into the limelight the "intransparent action by an unelected group of politicians who influence all our lives," the leaks also serve another purpose. The putting in the public domain of the secret recordings is aimed at fighting attempts by the incumbent Greek government to "weaponize fake news," produced by the Eurogroup back in 2015 to justify new austerity measures for the country, Varoufakis said.
Comment: Varoufakis was told "the Eurogroup does not exist in law", therefore he could have no objections to whatever its dominant members decreed. Of course they do not want their dealings on record. 'We rule, you comply. We pillage, you submit.'
See also:
United States of Europe: New German Reich crushes Greece
Here we go again: EU won't unlock further funding to Greece
The money game continues: Eurogroup reaches 'breakthrough deal' on $11bn Greek bailout payment
Greece & Eurogroup creditors agree key economic reforms
Eurogroup treachery and Varoufakis's revolutionary plan for Europe
Greece closes banks, imposes capital controls