Responding to Italian premier Matteo Renzi in a debate on the outcome of the Italian Presidency in the European Parliament this morning, GUE/NGL MEP Curzio Maltese regretted that “a country in recession was not able to apply the fiscal compact itself”.

MEP Maltese criticised the little progress that had been made in the Mediterranean to take it towards greater development and ensure better relations in the area. He also regretted that there is still massive unemployment in the European Union and that not enough had been done about that. He said: “In Italy it's easier to dismiss people, but it is not easier to combat tax evasion than it was before.”

“We must bear in mind Europe's young people and what they deserve,” said MEP Eleonora Forenza. “Today we've heard Renzi and Juncker make claims about growth and flexibility, as well as the negotiations on TTIP which undermines democracy and will not do anything to create jobs.”
 

“There are millions of people in Europe who lack hope because they feel their jobs are insecure,” she said.

Forenza also spoke about the general strikes that are taking place across Europe and the situation in Greece, Italy and elsewhere. She went on to condemn the widespread scaremongering about Greece being expelled from the Eurozone in the event of a SYRIZA election victory.

Forenza said that the election of Alexis Tsipras in Greece “would herald in a new era and a more positive one”.