EP report on the Troika’s role and actions in the Program of the Eurozone countries

Statement of Costas Christodoulides, Head of the International and European Affairs Department of the C.C. of AKEL 

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 14th March 2014, Nicosia

The current political situation in the European Parliament (EP) and the European Union must change fundamentally so that the peoples can breathe. This position supported by AKEL is confirmed by the outcome of the EP Report on the Troika.
After the behind the scenes wheeling and dealing between the two big political groups of the Right and the Social Democrats, the attacks on working people, SME’s, young people, pensioners and public wealth/property through the imposition of the Memorandum, are being hidden. On the contrary, AKEL and the Group of GUE/NGL tabled amendments which, inter alia, included the suspension of the policies of enforced impoverishment and privatization of public wealth/property in the member-states under a Memorandum.
On the opposing side, the majority of the European Parliament supported the establishment of a European Monetary Fund, which proves that they have no problem with the austerity policies as such, but rather with the name of the formation/body imposing them.
In addition, the Report noted that the adjustment policies adopted have resulted in rising unemployment and worsening working conditions.
Of interest is the Report’s position that, when the per capita GDP of a country is reduced, then the poverty levels are also reduced and consequently those who will be below the new poverty level will be considered as poor. That is to say, the figures will be improving but the position of the people – hidden by these figures – will deteriorate.
Even these truths are not accepted by the Anastasiades Government, which is continuing to gladly implement the Troika’s policies and on the other hand it does not hesitate to adopt the Troika’s policies and on the other to put more burdens on the people’s backs.
AKEL and the GUE/NGL Group, due to their long-standing positions against austerity policies, the Stability Pact, the Troika, but also because this specific Report does not propose any real solutions voted against the Report in question.