Plenary focus - January

As Latvia takes its turn at the rotating EU Presidency, competitiveness and growth have once again been named as top priorities. The Latvian government must reverse the EU-wide austerity trend of higher unemployment, wage cuts, rising retirement ages, diminished workers’ rights and cuts to health and education spending. The applied neoliberal policies have failed. It is urgent to restart the economy and end austerity policies. The people of Europe need policies that promote sustainable development, social progress, full employment, reducing unemployment and strengthening quality public services.

The conclusion of the protocol between the EU and São Tomé and Príncipe should be approved. However, the Commission should take the necessary steps – including revision and strengthening of the sectorial support component of the agreement – to guarantee a real change of direction by comparison with the approach followed in previous years. The Commission should make greater efforts to ensure that the conditions necessary for the proper take-up of aid have been established, with due respect for São Tomé and Príncipe’s sovereignty and for the country’s policy choices and priorities.

Ukrainian politics needs a different orientation. From the offices of EU political elites and their member states there are increasing sounds of discontent with the new Ukrainian leadership: the expected reforms are not implemented as required. Social cuts and the privatisation of remaining state property are indeed under way but the political and economic corruption is undiminished. This development logic that the population has to pay the bill while the elites get rich must be fundamentally changed.