GUE/NGL MEPs have expressed grave concern about recent developments in Greece, where the government is selling off public assets such as the Public Power Corporation (PPC) while simultaneously abolishing the right of workers to strike.

The Greek government has issued civil mobilisation orders to 19,000 PPC staff that are fighting plans to privatise the company. The civil mobilisation decree means workers face arrest for being on strike.

The GUE/NGL Group:

• considers electricity a common good and believes that PPC should remain under public control and ownership with the socialisation of the company as an eventual goal;
• expresses its full support to the PPC workers;
• urges the Greek government to respect the right of workers to strike and to immediately lift the undemocratic and unconstitutional civil mobilisation measure;
• urges the EU institutions to condemn these developments;
• supports the call for a referendum on the PPC as demanded by the democratic opposition so that the Greek people can decide on the issue rather than the government which has lost its democratic legitimacy.

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:
Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08
David Lundy +32 470 85 05 09
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20
European United Left / Nordic Green Left
European Parliamentary Group