Varoufakis and 18 economists ask EU’s support on Greek debt relief

The economists argue the Greek crisis has made clear that one state cannot act alone, cannot negotiate reasonable conditions for the restructuring of its debt

Yanis Varoufakis and another 18 economists signed an open letter asking for the support of Europe on the Greek debt relief issue which will be discussed at the United Nations General Assembly on September 10.

“This summer’s sham negotiations have caused many Europeans to retreat into nationalism and express defiance towards international institutions” the letter mentions.

As the economists state in the letter the Greek crisis has made clear that one state cannot act alone, cannot negotiate reasonable conditions for the restructuring of its debt within the current political framework, continuing that “Throughout its negotiations with creditor institutions, Greece faced a stubborn refusal to consider any debt restructuring, even though this refusal stood in contradiction to the IMF’s own recommendations.”

LIST OF SIGNATORIES

Piketty Thomas Paris School of Economics
Varoufakis Yanis Former Greek Minister of Finance
Galbraith James University of Texas Austin
Flassbeck Heiner Former Chief Economist of UNCTAD
Guzman Martin Columbia University
Généreux Jacques Sciences Po
Keen Steve Kingston University
Colletis Gabriel Toulouse 1 University
Husson Michel IRES
Lemoine Benjamin Paris-Dauphine University
Mazzucato Mariana University of Sussex
Salais Robert IDHE, Marc Bloch
Théret Bruno Paris-Dauphine University
Timbeau Xavier Principal Director at the OFCE
Zezza Gennaro Levy Economics Institute
Dosi Giovanni Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna
Stockhammer Engelbert Kingston University
Onaran Ozlem University of Greenwich
Vatin François Paris Ouest Naterre University