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

The Managing Director of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) Klaus Regling yesterday stated at the plenary of the European Parliament that the Troika “gives advice, whilst the decisions” about the content of the Memoranda Programmes “are taken by the governments and the Eurogroup”. If this is not the case, why doesn’t the Government reply? If the government doesn’t clarify its own position this means that it confirms the ESM’s Directors statements.

Furthermore, Mr. Regling said that, “All the Programmes were unanimously decided by the Eurozone Finance Ministers.” It is obvious that behind the Troika and the policies being implemented is the political agreement between the ruling forces in the European Union.

AKEL considers that the neo-liberal policies marginalising the masses of the people, working people, small and middle businesses emanate from the character of the aggressive, anti-peoples policies decided in Brussels. Given that a discussion is underway about the possible substitution of the Troika by a European Monetary Fund, the essence is that these policies should be abolished and not to replacement of the means they are promoted. In our opinion this should be the correct position.