Debating the results of the Greek Presidency today in the European Parliament, Greek GUE/NGL MEP Sofia Sakorafa said the last six months “proved disastrous for the Greek people, a threat to the peoples of Europe, and a danger for the future of the EU”.

 

“There's been a lot of talk about 'impressive work, great results and how well the economy has been handled' but the Greek Presidency merely faithfully followed the rampant neoliberal austerity policies in spite of the humanitarian crisis being lived in the country and the rest of Europe,” she told Commission President Barroso and Greek Prime Minster Samaras.

 

Sakorafa said this would now be a “threat to all the peoples of Europe since Greece is the guinea pig for everything you want to implement”, mentioning the examples of mass layoffs, the elimination of collective bargaining, and cuts to state spending in the name of debt repayment – “a debt imposed on the Greek people”.

 

She added: “I'll close with two highly significant developments during the Greek Presidency, demonstrating how decisions are being taken anti-democratically – I refer to Ukraine and Syria where in both cases economic interests determined EU policy. We are committed to fight together with our Italian comrades so the Italian Presidency does not have these same so-called 'successful' results.”