AKEL ON THE MEETINGS OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF AKEL ANDROS KYPRIANOU IN STRASBOURG
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 17th April 2013
The General Secretary of the CC of AKEL yesterday completed his series of contacts in Strasbourg with meetings with Martin Schultz the President of the European Parliament, Gabi Zimmer President of the Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left (GUE-NGL), Hannes Swoboda the President of the Group of Socialists and Democrats, Bambis Angourakis MEP of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and Rebecca Harms the President of the Greens. In all the meetings the General Secretary of AKEL discussed with his interlocutors the decisions of the Eurogroup and the harsh consequences these will have on the Cyprus economy and society. Furthermore, he called for support of the Republic of Cyprus on the basis of the letter which the President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades had addressed, receiving a positive response from everyone. Regarding the Cyprus problem, the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL, raised the issue of the Turkish Cypriot observers, arguing that the promotion of this position will hamper efforts to solve the Cyprus problem.
In his meeting with the President of the European Parliament Martin Schultz, the General Secretary of AKEL discussed the developments on the economy and the Cyprus problem. A. Kyprianou supported the demand of the President of the Republic to secure more cohesion funds for Cyprus, arguing that the decisions of the Eurogroup have brought Cyprus in a difficult position. In statements he made after the meeting, Martin Schultz expressed his understanding of Cyprus’ request. He stated that the restructuring of the banking sector will have an enormous burden on the country and it is something that must be balanced with investments in other sectors. He pledged that the European Parliament will do what it can, but stressed that he can not pledge that this will be done quickly, saying that he will address an appeal to the Council of Ministers to agree with the European Parliament on the Multiannual Financial Framework.
In the meeting of the General Secretary of AKEL with the President of GUE-NGL, on her part Gabi Zimmer stated that the support to the Cypriot people regarding the structural funds of the European Union should be implemented through a fund in the Budget of the Union, so that his doesn’t remain a mere proclamation.
The General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL also met with the President of the Socialists and Democrats Group Hannes Swoboda to discuss the decisions of the Eurogroup. The President of the Socialists and Democrats Group pointed out that the Troika operates without openness and undemocratically. A. Kyprianou explained that the “shock” policy being implemented is destroying small and middle businesses, increasing unemployment and deepening recession, noting that this policy anything but demonstrates the constantly proclaimed principle of solidarity. He also referred to the second step taken at the Dublin Summit where it was decided that the same measures imposed on Cyprus would be imposed elsewhere in Europe. With regards to the possible institutionalisation of the status of Turkish Cypriot observers in the European Parliament this would encourage the intransigent partitionist policy of Turkey. The President of the Socialists and Democrats Group said there is no consensus in his Group on this issue.
In his meeting with MEP of the Communist Party of Greece KKE Bambis Angourakis, in addition to the context of the economic crisis and the balance of forces in the European Union, there was a common evaluation about the correlation of forces that are generating factors such as the war in Syria, Turkey’s and other countries involvement, and the fermentation of instability by the imperialist forces in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa, which have a negative affect on the Cyprus problem. Once again, KKE expressed its solidarity with AKEL and the Cypriot people.
Addressing the Group meeting of GUE-NGL, the General Secretary of AKEL A. Kyprianou referred to the developments in Cyprus and replied to questions put by MEP´s on the current situation on the Cyprus problem, the economy and the issue of natural gas. He pointed out that the problems could have been solved in a different way if it wasn’t for the devastating for the peoples political orientation of the European Union. At the dinner that followed, the Vice-President of GUE-NGL Joao Ferreira MEP pointed out that only the rupture with the policies implemented by the Union will the peoples survive.
The General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL already contacted the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus to inform him about the contents of his contacts in Strasbourg.