S&Ds see Greek parliament vote as necessary step for further European support

The S&D Group considers further European support to Greece as a priority to get the country out of recession. Against this background the Group welcomes yesterday’s vote by the Greek Parliament to secure financial support under the memorandum of understanding between Greece and the European Commission.

However, the vote must be considered in a wider political context. While the package that was voted yesterday ensures Greece will get further support, it also contains more harsh measures for the population.

Commenting on the vote, Hannes Swoboda, President of the Socialists and Democrats Group, said:

„The decision of the Greek parliament lays the ground for further support for Greece. We must however be aware that the package agreed by the Troika includes severe measures which will take a heavy toll on the Greek population.

„This package cannot be the template for European policy because in the long-term it means the destruction of central elements of the welfare state. It is symptomatic that the European Commission’s own forecast predicts yet more deterioration in Greece’s unemployment rates.“

Hannes Swoboda concluded with a reference to the latest statements by the European Commission:

„It is particularly cruel that Commissioner Rehn is advocating even harsher austerity policies, endangering any possibility of a slight recovery in the coming years. The European Commission is following an increasingly neo-liberal ideology, even worse than that of the International Monetary Fund at its worst.“