With the election of Alexis Tsipras and Syriza in Greece, a little noticed news report from Reuters (at least from what I have seen) informs us that Tsipras rubbed a few noses in the dirt on his first day as prime minister

Apparently his first act was to visit the war memorial in Kaisariani where 200 Greek resistance fighters were slaughtered by the Nazis in 1944. Next, he ‘received’ the Russian ambassador before meeting any other foreign official; followed by the announcement that radical academic Yanis Varoufakis, who once likened German austerity policies to “fiscal waterboarding”, would be taking over as Greek finance minister. A short while later, Tsipras delivered another blow, criticising an EU statement that warned Moscow of new sanctions.

When one adds into the mix that just days before polling day Tsipras informed a crowd that: On Monday, our national humiliation will be over. We will finish with orders from abroad, while in the background loudspeakers blared lyrics from the Leonard Cohen song First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin; and it is logical to assume the European Union is in for a rocky ride.

When it is realised that the Greek people are averse to leaving the euro zone and Tsipras wishes to remain in the EU, he gives the impression of bluster – or is it?

He will be attending the EU Council Heads of State meeting on 12th/13th February and whether Tsipras is all buster or not should become apparent when the Heads of State post-meeting press conferences take place.

There are those in the blogosphere who believe that Tsipras is but indulging in what they term ‘ritual chest-beating’ prior to ‘knuckling under’. While one can but agree with the view that the EU will not let the euro or their project be damaged in any way, it should be remembered that no-one can predict the actions of a maverick – and mavericks tend to have a card up their sleeve.

It may be there is trouble – or even a rouble – that has yet to appear over the horizon? We can but watch and wait.