Jean-Claude Juncker is set to announce that recent crises which have hit the European project are over at the EU’s State of the Union address, according to Yanis Varoufakis.
The former Greek finance minister, who went head-to-head with the EU elite during his country’s debt crisis, said the European Commission President is in “dangerous denial”.
In a scathing speech, at an event called ‘The Real State of the Union’ in Brussels, Mr Varoufakis condemned the EU bureaucrats as ignorant of the “crumbling bloc” around them.
He told the crowd in Belgium: “Just like in Greece, the EU will continue to unleash coups all over Europe. Banks, not tanks, to overturn democracy and take power.
“In a few days from now, Juncker, President of the European Commission, will deliver the annual state of the union address in Strasbourg.
“In his speech, he will celebrate rising incomes, falling house prices, rising share prices. He will declare the end to Europe’s crisis.
“This, coming from the man who said when the going gets tough, politicians like him have to get lying. So the crisis is just getting worse, right?”
Mr Varoufakis warned that this celebration in Brussels will soon be cut short, as rifts continue to break apart the European bloc – and Mr Juncker is to blame.
The Greek economist pointed out that French President Emmanuel Macron threatened to dismantle the EU if he does not get the chance to overhaul the bloc.
Although Mr Macron “saved the jobs” of Mr Juncker and the Brussels elite, Mr Varoufakis said that they will reject any request to “rebuild” the European project.
He said: “Either Juncker and his celebrations are justified, or Macron’s warnings are valid.
“Either the crisis is over, or it will consume Europe. They can’t both be right.
“Juncker is carrying on a European tradition of living in deep denial, that he sits on a rotten political project.”
Earlier this week, Mr Varoufakis advised Theresa May to “bypass” Michel Barnier to get Brexit talks back on track.
He said that Mr Barnier had no mandate to negotiate on behalf of the EU.