CCPA Monitor, an official monthly publication of the Canadian Centre for Policy Research Think Tank, interviewed author, political analyst/social writer and artist Andreas C Chrysafis to assist analyze the results of the Greek election, won by leftist party SYRIZA. Chrysafis – a Greek born in Cyprus – is globally recognized for his thought-provoking press articles and artwork. He has written many articles under the Vanishing Cyprus series published worldwide as well as books. He has never been a political party member and is a strong advocate for Justice, Rule of Law and Transparency. What do you think of SYRIZA’s victory? Is it good for the Greek people or not? What is the significance of it for the anti-capitalist movement in Greece? Is SYRIZA really a radical party in terms of being anti-capitalist? The Greek nation has been robbed by a kleptocracy and institutional corruption for too many years. This social virus had contaminated a vast spectrum of Greek society but especially the chambers of power. Where there is no equality in law, there is no wrong and ordinary citizens lost all hope for changes in a plutocratic system created by the system, for the system. SYRIZA’s victory came like a breath of fresh air and has given the Greek people their dignity and pride back, fleeced by EU/Troika bankers and the establishment. The SYRIZA party has risen out of the ashes of despair and I can only say that Alexis Tsipras and his group have provided the last glimmer of hope to the people of Greece. I truly believe that the rise of the SYRIZA movement was a spontaneous cry of help and the ideology of the left wing party was secondary to the desired changes; survival was! The SYRIZA party, headed by its young, charismatic leadership, dared to stand up in support of people’s rights and has turned its back on the established political system. Is it radical enough? Sure! SYRIZA has pledged for a revolutionary socially conscious government and not the customary elected dictatorship of the past. In your opinion, is SYRIZA’s strategy aimed at rescuing capitalism or undermining it? Certainly not rescuing capitalism. SYRIZA’S objective, in my mind, is to rescue Greece from a “debtaucracy” with radical policies that have never been attempted before. I am sure capitalism will take a serious blow. This is what I call a “Revolution of the Mind” where the people are able to stand up and be counted against all odds; SYRIZA is doing just that. Will SYRIZA end austerity in Greece or continue it? The outstanding Troika debt is massive and will take a capable captain to steer the ship to safety. Tsipras, with his maverick Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and his intra-government circle, will succeed. They will succeed because a government that has the full support of its people will never fail. Is SYRIZA’s acceptance of the European Union and it’s determination to work within it, the Party’s major mistake? No. That is not a mistake but a very clever political maneuver that will bring about major changes in the EU. Those changes will also influence other EU member-states and that is precisely what the EU is afraid of; the domino effect! In my opinion, Greece should follow the UK example – be a member of the EU for trade purposes only but retain its own currency and freedom to determine its own destiny. Since the EU is a neoliberal entity, how can it be possible for SYRIZA to end austerity in Greece while staying in the EU? That’s what a good leadership is all about! The Greek people will make an economic miracle in Greece and I am sure they will gladly make further sacrifices, if necessary, because they would feel free and no longer Euro-slaves to the Troika. Can SYRIZA renegotiate Greece’s debt with the EU successfully or will the EU give no concessions to Greece and thereby force its exit from the Eurozone? The Eurogroup is trapped – the little David has trapped the mighty Goliath because it dared to stand up to face the giant. If the EU fails to agree to renegotiate the Greek debt sensibly, Greece will raise the money elsewhere. I am sure Varoufakis already has plan B and plan C under his sleeve. As for a Euro exit, in my opinion, it will not be a bad idea for Greece to exit the Euro currency. What will happen if SYRIZA fails? Will the extreme right wing (Golden Dawn) take over? How strong is the non-SYRIZA Left in this context? Golden Dawn, as an extreme right wing party, has risen out of the despair and anger of people toward the previous governments in Greece. It grew as a direct result of bad and corrupt governments that encouraged nepotism and a kleptocracy. Half of the Golden Dawn MPs are in prison today and I do not see that party becoming stronger. What will be the effect of the SYRIZA victory on similar left wing parties in Spain, Portugal and Italy? It would be seen as a miracle in the making. That is precisely what the EU is terrified of. It will be wonderful because the EU will be forced to become more democratic and no longer operate in secrecy, behind closed doors. Above all, it will be forced to become accountable to the people. Given that the EU’s incompetent and harsh austerity policy has mired many European countries in a seven-year-long deep and destructive recession/depression with no end in sight, does the EU have a future at all or will it break up with Greece starting this process? Greece may be the one catalyst to break up the European Union as we know it. EU citizens had enough of EU incompetence, bureaucracy, red tape and policies that stagnate rather than bring prosperity. The EU has brought ruin and unemployment to millions of citizens but especially the youth; they simply do not trust the EU. I will not be surprised to see the gradual erosion and downfall of the EU in the next ten years. Please add anything else you consider important. Greece is on the road to recovery and I am sure it will become prosperous again. I do, however, have my reservations about Cyprus, where the government is obsessed with the EU and has adopted Troika’s austerity measures as its own manifesto. The bail-in not only has robbed people’s bank accounts but has also destroyed a prosperous island and reduced the people to poverty with a massive unemployment.
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