Speech of Andros Kyprianou, General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL, at the mass meeting in solidarity with the Greek people
4th July 2015, outside “House of Europe” offices, Nicosia
We have gathered here today to 
denounce and condemn the provocative, unacceptable and undemocratic stance of the leaders of the European Union towards Greece and the Greek people, to express our support to the Greek people and the efforts of the Greek Government, who are fighting for dignity and life.
Over the past few months we have seen the real face of the leaders of the European Union; the face they, as well as their supporters on a national level too, have hidden by using nice-sounding words and slogans like democracy, mutual respect, solidarity and social cohesion. Over the past few months, and especially during the last few days, we have witnessed behaviours that have nothing to do whatsoever with these words and slogans. We have witnessed flagrant interventions in the internal affairs of countries, the violation of the sovereignty of independent states, threats and blackmailing that have no relation at all with democracy and mutual respect; choices based solely on ideological criteria, an act which is the most dogmatic in the modern world. As far as the notorious “solidarity of partners” is concerned, this has been wiped off the face of the earth. For AKEL, all these developments and actions are nothing new, nor are they surprising.
For some years we have been stating our positions, no matter how much the local representatives of the leaders of the European Union here in Cyprus have been desperately trying to hide them from the people. This is the reason why we were stressing that the policies that were being implemented would lead to a dead-end; that they would eventually lead the peoples to enormous problems and an uncertain future; that the pressing need was for another different Europe – a Europe of real democracy, peace, social justice and mutual respect. They were calling us anti-Europeans, denouncing us that we were stuck in a past dominated by ideological obsessions. Unfortunately – for them – over the past few years they are constantly being exposed and revealed. More and more people are seeing their true face behind the smiles and “friendly” advise. The main goal is the imposition of their ideology, by silencing or discrediting any alternative voice. The goal is the imposition of the neoliberal conservative capitalist model as the only alternative.
Furthermore, the goal is the promotion of the interests of the powerful forces and the multinational companies by all means, in a refined way where and whenever they can, that is to say, through political decisions that are dressed with characterizations such as “modern”, “innovative”, “flexible” etc. Where and whenever this method is not convincing, these decisions are imposed forcibly through the issuing of threats, blackmail and the spreading of fear, and always of course with the assistance of very useful “collaborators” and the bourgeois mass media. We shouldn’t forget the recent accusations made very recently by a former Irish Minister that the mass media and journalists were being paid in order to promote and “impose” the views of the powerful political and economic circles of the world, of the International Monetary Fund, the United States and European Union. Neither Greece, nor Cyprus too have evaded this rule.
Our meeting here today does not seek to interfere in Greece’s internal affairs. From a position of principle, AKEL states that the decisions will be taken by the Greek people. Our meeting aims at revealing the true character of the European Union as this has been determined by the EU Treaties and Papers. It aims at reaffirming our position that another road is possible, namely a more just, humane path based on solidarity – the path of socialism.
Various forces and circles at an EU, but also national level, are attempting to persuade us that there is no other alternative, that there is no other option other than austerity. They argue that this has been proven by the developments in Cyprus and elsewhere. They tell us that it’s futile to struggle for something else that the mighty of the European Union and the world do not want.
AKEL replies that we do not yield and falter. We shall not stop struggling for a better tomorrow for the majority of the people and not for the privileged few. We say that the developments in Cyprus, Greece and elsewhere are not inevitable. They were set in motion by their own policy choices and built on foreign interventions, lies and distortions. The role of rating agencies and the mass media, but also about how easy the atmosphere changes depending on who is in power, is very well known.
I will just refer to one example about how lies are fabricated. The main reason why the Greek government did not accept the Eurogroup’s proposals was that their implementation would not render the country’s public debt sustainable. After many pressures, the IMF was forced to publish its assessment about Greece’s public debt. As a consequence, it was revealed how correct the Greek government’s position was, that is to say that Greece’s debt was not sustainable. This fact on its own says a lot…
We are discussing today if austerity is the solution to the crisis, about who should pay the cost and if people come before fulfilling targets. AKEL has already chosen to be on the side of the peoples that are struggling; that have already paid a heavy price for the illusion that “people must swallow the bitter pill of Memoranda policies and austerity” so that they can take the path of recovery; that have realized that their salvation will not be attained by “tightening belts even more”, “pay and pay again to bail-out the banks”.
Has the policy applied in Greece since 2009 rescued it? What is the reality of this policy? One and a half million unemployed. The same figure who although employed are not paid. Others are paid with supermarket coupons. The result of the Memoranda has led to the gap between the richest and the poorest multiplying seven times. Greece is already among the first ten countries with the biggest inequalities all over the world. Approximately 51% of new employment contracts that are concluded involve precarious and part-time work, that is to say wages from 500 Euros downwards. Thousands of young working people are working according to a split working time for 4 hours of paid work on 180 Euros per month. Child poverty has increased dramatically, the same is true of the suicides that have taken place as a result of the crisis. So, who are the Memoranda benefiting?
According to the Public Debt Management Agency of Greece the repayment of the Greek debt is being extended up to 2057. By the end of the year Greece is called upon to pay 16.2 billion Euros in interest and installments. By 2020 the amount will rise to 56,383 billion Euros. From 2021 up to 2030 the amount will rise to 75 billion Euros. Indeed reports published by international organizations who have studied the issue of Greece’s debt point out that 92% of the amount of the loans went back to the lenders either to pay off older loans, or to recapitalize the banks, or to compensate private bondholders. In other words, an entire people is being burdened with old loans of banks and private individuals on its back.
This is supposedly how Greece is going to be rescued. However, when one stresses this reality to the supporters of the Memoranda austerity policies, they choose to point elsewhere. They call on us to look at the progress of other countries who are under a Memorandum, especially Ireland which according to them has again achieved a “miracle” However, the Irish people themselves have another opinion. Unemployment today among young people has exceeded 20%. Child poverty has doubled and the public health system has been terribly downgraded. The Irish people today own 7 times their GDP, at the same time when the Greeks own 3 times of their GDP.
The “miracle tranquillizer” has also been promoted here in Cyprus by the Government and a section of the mass media. A “miracle” with over 70,000 jobless as the unemployment rate exceeds 16%. A “miracle” with youth unemployment at 35% at the same time when many young people opt to look for work abroad. A “miracle” with wages and pensions having been reduced by 30%. A “miracle” with poverty approaching 29% and pensioners’ living standards over 30% lower.
But, it’s not just the policies that are being implemented today. It is also the policies that are being prepared and due to be implemented. The advocates of austerity are attempting to pacify the people by propagating the idea that “just a little more courage and the Memorandum will soon be over”. However, they are in fact telling half the truth. We shall exit the Memorandum, but not exit from the loan agreement. The Memorandum will end, but not the political philosophy that runs through it. The Memoranda will not exist, but they will not leave anything standing for the peoples the day after.
The Memoranda will come to an end. However, with its policies the European Union will pave the way for new storms that will hurt the peoples. One example is the EU’s banking union. Through it, the EU is seeking to put the banking institutions under its control, arguing that in this way it will improve the capability to forecast, prevent and address future crises. This is also the reason why it transferred the control and financial supervision of the banking system from the national to the transnational level. If one were to contemplate how today’s crisis was tackled, one can also understand what will happen with the crises in the future.
Another example, is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the US. TTIP is a Treaty about free exchange and investments whose fundamental goal is the lifting of regulatory “barriers”. However in reality these “barriers” affect some of our basic social rights. Its goal is none other than the drastic curbing of labour rights, the relaxation of the rules in the fields of the environment and food safety and the liberalization of the services market such as health, education and water. In addition, the provisions of this agreement will destroy the possibilities of SME’s to survive. It is by now clear that the goal is to serve the interests of the European and American multinational companies and not the peoples themselves.
The global economic crisis has revealed capitalism’s real nature. It has made imperialism’s crimes even more evident. This is precisely what big capital feared, which devotes enormous political and economic forces in order to control, terrorize and shape consciousness.
We have gathered here today because we have again chosen to be with the people: with the working people, pensioners, the youth and the people in small and medium businesses. With all those who want to stand up and resist, who want to assert dignity and a better tomorrow. With all those who reject the interventions, blackmailing, ultimatums and false dilemmas. With all those who support the rights of the Greek people to be sovereign and decide its own future, without a gun to its head. We therefore stand in solidarity with the Greek people which struggled and bled for so many years throughout its History, in the battles on the front, in strikes, demonstrations, in the streets and barricades for a better future.
We join our voices with the Greek people for its just cause, life and dignity.
