AKEL “Europe at a critical crossroads” event with Francis Wurtz

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 23 February 2019, Nicosia

The second in a series of debates on the perspectives and problems of the European Union with the participation of people with a broad knowledge of these issues took place yesterday on Friday 22 February at the Conference Centre in Nicosia organized by the Central Committee of AKEL. The first debate-event was held with the former President of the European Parliament and member of the German Parliament Martin Schulz as one of the speakers.

The event was held on the theme “Europe at a critical crossroads” with keynote speakers the General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL Andros Kyprianou and Francis Wurtz, for 30 years MEP of the French Communist Party PCF, former President of the Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left GUE/NGL in the European Parliament and since 2013 President of the Council of the Institute of European Studies of the University of Paris 8.

The General Secretary of AKEL in his speech noted that “the assessments and warnings that the left has been making for years about the capitalist nature, course and policies imposed by those who are ruling the EU have been ignored or systematically denigrated by the neoliberal right, but also social democracy. Today it is evident that these positions are being verified.” A. Kyprianou then wondered how much future the European Union has if it continues pursuing the same neoliberal policies. “The results of these policies are millions of unemployed, poor, underemployed and homeless,” he pointed out.

Concluding his intervention the General Secretary of AKEL stressed that what we are today first and foremost fighting for Europe is social justice and social solidarity. We are asserting for fundamental changes because we want the economies in Europe to work for the many, that is to say for those who produce the wealth and not for the banks and privileged elites.

On his part, Francis Wurtz underlined the need for Europe to change course in order to meet the expectations of its peoples, giving as an example the reference of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker when, with his election in 2014 to the presidency of the European Commission he said that this is the Commission’s last chance. “The interpretation that I give to this statement”, Francis Wurtz pointed out, “is that during this five-year term if things do not change in Europe, it runs the risk of having been a tragic failure. These five years are coming to an end in a few months,” said Francis Wurtz.