18.03.2010

Financial situation in Greece: Common statement by Elmar Brok MEP, Marietta Giannakou MEP and Ioannis Kasoulides MEP

„The principal achievement of the European Union has been to consolidate peace and friendship between the peoples of Europe who in the past fought each other and the construction of security and prosperity in the European continent.

We, the undersigned Members of the European Parliament, Elmar Brok, Marietta Giannakou and Ioannis Kasoulides, want to defend this tradition of cooperation and mutual understanding and respect.

We wish to dissociate ourselves from public statements, comments, attitudes and actions, which are drawing a false and unreal picture of distrust and controversy between the peoples of Europe. Such manifestations, wherever they come from, cannot divide the peoples of Europe, nor impact upon the integrationist policies of the Union, including the EMU.

The current fiscal problems in one Member State due to internal shortcomings and accentuated by the world economic crisis should not be used for collective accusations against a nation and all her citizens. Besides, similar problems have arisen in the past and may possibly occur in the future in other Member States. Greece is able and should immediately deal with its fiscal problems with determination. Then there will be the solidarity of its partners in Europe.

The European integration constitutes a union of states and a union of citizens. It is constructed upon the principles of cooperation, mutual respect and allegiance to the Treaties. A lot has been achieved based on these principles. The people of Europe now enjoy peace, stability and prosperity.

At the present juncture, we are called upon to sustain this acquis of cooperation, allegiance and reciprocity. We should defend the political and economic integration against certain speculative interests which are about to exploit the present situation in Greece as well as any populist arguments that foment euro-scepticism, doubt the future of EU political integration and the interests of the people of Europe.“

Brüssel, 18.03.2010

For further information:

Elmar BROK MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845323
Lasse Boehm, EPP Group Press & Communications Service, Tel: +32-484-656897

Marietta GIANNAKOU MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845182
Theo Georgitsopoulos, EPP Group Press & Communications Service, Tel: +32-475-750566

Ioannis KASOULIDES MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845155
Evangelia Mitsopoulou, EPP Group Press & Communications Service, Tel: +32-475-751574