13 billion Euros invested in defence while the peoples are being impoverished

Statement by AKEL MEP and GUE/NGL Vice-President Neoklis Sylikiotis

4 September 2018, Nicosia

“The European Defence Fund is part of the project to build a “militarized Union” through the goal for the strengthening of the arms and defence industry, a position which unfortunately is being promoted by the Rapporteur of the Report. The proposal that has been tabled calls for investments to be made in the arms industry and defence amounting to 13 billion Euros for the period 2021-2027. More specifically, the creation of the European Defense Fund is being proposed to channel investments towards the development of defence arms products, which in reality are aggressive weapons, a fact which violates the Treaty of the EU itself. The Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left takes a clear stand against this dangerous project.” This is what AKEL MEP Neoklis Sylikiotis stressed speaking in the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy of the European Parliament. The subject of the debate was the Report on the establishment of the European Defense Fund.

Speaking as the shadow Rapporteur of the Report on behalf of the Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left N. Sylikiotis recalled that Article 41 (2) of the Treaty of the EU clearly states that ” Operating expenditure to which the implementation of this Chapter gives rise shall also be charged to the Union budget, except for such expenditure arising from operations having military or defence implications”. However, as he pointed out, this is precisely what is being attempted today! The EU is investing in waging wars. European arms exports to the East war zones of the Middle East are constantly increasing. A characteristic example, as N. Sylikiotis said, is that in 2016 a quarter of German exports of arms systems ended up in the Middle East.

 In closing, the AKEL MEP underlined that the Group of the GUE/NGL will table amendments for a total rejection of the proposal for the militarization of the EU through the creation of the European Defense Fund and will demand that the 13 billion Euros of its budget should be used to serve society’s needs, to promote growth particularly in the countries that have been affected most by the economic crisis. As N.Sylikiotis characteristically noted, if the EU were to respect its declared principles, then it must stop investing in wars and instead take initiatives to become a pillar of peace!