Greece was asked to sell Acropolis during debt crisis

A bombshell revelation has emerged from Europe’s debt crisis era: a Eurozone finance minister once suggested that Greece sell its ancient Acropolis to raise funds. Jean-Claude Juncker, former European Commission President and former Eurogroup chief, made the claim in the documentary series “Sto Xiliosto” broadcast by Skai TV.

‘Be quiet, I said’

Juncker, who chaired the Eurogroup from 2005 to 2013, said the proposal came during a Eurogroup meeting when Greece was struggling under a mountain of debt. He declined to name the minister but noted that the person was a woman. Juncker recalled: “I remember some finance ministers proposing to sell the Acropolis to find money. I told them, ‘Be quiet.’” He did not specify whether the suggestion was literal or figurative.

Loss of trust opened doors to extreme ideas

Juncker explained that after Greece admitted to having misrepresented its budget data, it suffered a massive loss of credibility. “That was a huge mistake. After admitting that it had misled others, Greece was no longer trusted. That was the real problem. Because of that, everyone felt they could say anything about Greece,” he said. The anecdote underscores how severe loss of trust can lead to extreme and humiliating proposals.